Johnny Herbert believes Isack Hadjar has the potential to become the first Red Bull team-mate in years to truly challenge Max Verstappen. The former FIA steward suggests the French-Argentinian rookie’s promotion could trigger a significant shift in dynamics at the reigning world champions.
Hadjar’s impressive rookie campaign earns Red Bull promotion
Isack Hadjar emerged as one of 2024’s standout rookies during his debut season with Racing Bulls. The 21-year-old delivered a remarkably consistent campaign, accumulating 51 championship points and securing a memorable podium finish at Zandvoort. His performance made him the second-highest scoring driver across the entire Red Bull family, trailing only four-time world champion Verstappen himself.
This impressive debut caught the attention of Red Bull’s senior management. Rather than continuing his development at the junior team, Hadjar received an unexpected promotion to the main squad for 2025. He replaces Yuki Tsunoda alongside Verstappen, stepping into one of the most coveted seats in Formula 1. The decision represents a significant vote of confidence from Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, who clearly see championship potential in the young driver.
The promotion comes at a crucial juncture for Red Bull. With the 2026 regulations looming and the competitive landscape tightening, the team needed a driver capable of scoring consistent points and potentially pushing Verstappen. Hadjar’s mature performances at Racing Bulls suggested he could fulfill that role sooner than expected.
Herbert identifies Hadjar’s rapid development trajectory
Herbert has been particularly struck by Hadjar’s rate of improvement since his F1 debut. Speaking to JeffBet, the former Jordan and Stewart driver highlighted how quickly the rookie adapted to motorsport’s pinnacle. “As we move towards 2026, the person who has really improved the most since his debut is Isack Hadjar,” Herbert explained. The pace of that development has convinced him that Hadjar possesses the raw ingredients to compete at the highest level.
What impressed Herbert most was Hadjar’s consistency across diverse circuits and conditions. From street circuits to high-speed tracks, the rookie demonstrated versatility that typically takes seasons to develop. His racecraft showed maturity beyond his years, with clean overtakes and intelligent tyre management becoming hallmarks of his driving style. These qualities are essential for anyone hoping to match Verstappen’s relentless pace and precision.
The Racing Bulls provided an ideal proving ground. Working with experienced engineers and racing against established competitors, Hadjar absorbed lessons rapidly. Each weekend brought visible progress, whether in qualifying pace or race execution. By season’s end, he had established himself as one of the grid’s most exciting young talents.
The potential for intra-team competition at Red Bull
Herbert believes Hadjar’s arrival could fundamentally alter Red Bull’s internal dynamics. “Eventually there will be someone who can challenge Max at Red Bull,” he noted. “And when there’s someone challenging you within your own team, the dynamic can change.” The prospect of genuine competition from a team-mate represents unfamiliar territory for Verstappen in recent seasons.
Since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2018, Verstappen has enjoyed clear number-one status at Red Bull. Subsequent team-mates struggled to match his pace, creating a comfortable environment where championship battles focused exclusively on rival teams. Sergio Pérez, despite his experience, rarely troubled the Dutchman over a race weekend. Hadjar’s aggressive driving style and fearless approach could disrupt this equilibrium.
Herbert suggests this internal pressure might actually benefit Red Bull’s championship prospects. “If Hadjar comes out of the blocks strongly and gives Max headaches, that’s an interesting twist,” he observed. The dynamic could push both drivers to extract maximum performance, elevating the team’s overall competitiveness. However, it also carries risks if team management becomes necessary to prevent on-track conflicts.
Verstappen faces renewed pressure from team-mate
The four-time world champion hasn’t experienced sustained pressure from a team-mate since his battles with Ricciardo. Herbert acknowledges that Verstappen has evolved significantly since those early encounters. “Max is now a much stronger and more complete Formula 1 driver,” he reflected. The Dutchman’s technical feedback, racecraft and mental resilience have all reached elite levels during his championship-winning campaigns.
Yet Herbert wonders whether facing internal competition again might force Verstappen to raise his already exceptional standards. “Hadjar gets a big opportunity he wants to seize with both hands,” Herbert explained. “If he had waited, another generation of Formula 1 drivers could have taken that second Red Bull seat.” The urgency of this chance could fuel Hadjar’s determination to prove himself immediately.
For Verstappen, the challenge represents a different type of pressure. Fighting team-mates requires diplomatic navigation of team politics whilst maintaining on-track dominance. The situation demands careful management to avoid the destructive rivalries that have undermined other teams. Red Bull’s recent harmony could face its first serious test if Hadjar genuinely closes the performance gap.
A potential turning point for Red Bull Racing
Herbert envisions a scenario where Verstappen faces simultaneous challenges from both Hadjar internally and rivals like Lando Norris externally. “This could be the first time in a long while that Max has to fight his team-mate and someone like Lando Norris,” he suggested. Such multi-front competition would create the most demanding environment of Verstappen’s career.
The timing coincides with Red Bull’s RB21 facing increased competition from McLaren and Ferrari. Mercedes’ resurgence with Lewis Hamilton‘s arrival at Ferrari adds another threat. If Hadjar can consistently finish close to Verstappen, Red Bull’s constructors’ championship prospects improve dramatically. However, split strategies or on-track incidents between team-mates could prove costly in such a tight field.
Herbert believes the potential exists for unexpected developments. “There could well be a small turning point at Red Bull,” he predicted. Whether Hadjar fulfills this prediction depends on his adaptation to the RB21 and his ability to handle the immense pressure of racing alongside one of F1’s all-time greats. The opening races will provide crucial indicators of whether Herbert’s expectations prove accurate.
The 2025 season promises to reveal whether Hadjar possesses the exceptional talent necessary to become Verstappen’s first genuine internal rival in years. For Red Bull, the gamble on youth over experience could either strengthen their championship challenge or introduce unwanted complications. Herbert’s prediction adds intrigue to what already shapes as a fascinating season ahead.
