Hadjar under fire as Red Bull's 'second seat curse' looms
Laurent Mekies stays in Hadjar's corner, but the four-points-to-26 gulf with Verstappen is already reviving talk of Red Bull's notorious 'second seat curse'.
Isack Hadjar is already under scrutiny after a difficult Miami weekend, with French media questioning whether the infamous "second seat curse" alongside Max Verstappen is striking again.
L'Equipe correspondent Frederic Ferret noted concerns after the young Frenchman struggled to match Verstappen's pace in the upgraded Red Bull, before crashing out of the race.
However, he also stressed the driver retains strong internal support.
"Laurent Mekies is a staunch defender of him," Ferret wrote.
Hadjar's race unravelled after he was forced to start from the pitlane following a technical infringement by the team in qualifying.
He fought back strongly - before it ended abruptly.
Hadjar admitted the mistake followed a weekend on the edge.
"All weekend I was on the limit and I was comfortable with that limit. But this time, it didn't work out," Hadjar told Canal Plus.
"I wasn't precise enough, I took too many risks in a 57-lap race. I wasn't very smart."
The frustration was clear.
"I'm angry because the pace was good. I was catching up so easily," he said.
"I'm throwing points away stupidly. I'm very frustrated, and on top of that, I damaged the car, which counts too."
21-year-old Hadjar has 4 points versus Verstappen's 26.
Isack Hadjar, 2026 snapshot
| Age | 21 |
|---|---|
| Nationality | French |
| 2026 team | Red Bull Racing (alongside Max Verstappen) |
| Current points | 4 (Verstappen: 26) |
| Last race | Miami GP, pitlane start, crashed out |
See also: Isack Hadjar on F1-Fansite.
Related: Verstappen revels in RB22 upgrades as Hadjar struggles in Miami
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I don't think so.