Mekies outlines expectations for Hadjar’s second season at Red Bull after contract extension

Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies has set Isack Hadjar a clear target following confirmation that he will continue to race for the squad through 2027 – that being to “continue to progress” at his current rate on and off the track.

Hadjar, who made the step up to the senior outfit in 2026 after a strong rookie season at Racing Bulls, has impressed alongside four-time World Champion Max Verstappen so far, appearing to end a so-called curse of the second Red Bull seat.

Heading into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, which marks Hadjar’s return to action from a wrist injury, it was announced that the Frenchman will continue alongside Verstappen for at least another campaign.

During Thursday’s team representative press conference at the Baku City Circuit, Mekies was asked for the story behind Hadjar’s contract extension, and if it was an easy decision for Red Bull chiefs to make.

“It was really easy,” he made clear. “I think we discussed it a few times here through the season. He has done a very, very strong first part of the year.

“First with his natural speed, then with the way he has integrated with the team very quickly in the early weeks. He moved to the UK. He was pretty much every other week with us in Milton Keynes.

“Then, not less importantly, the way he has progressed through the races. We have really seen him doing something a bit better pretty much every race weekend. Therefore, it was a very, very easy decision to make.”

Pushed for more details on Hadjar’s renewal, and whether or not it is a multi-year deal, Mekies added: “Isack has been with Red Bull for a very long time, and it means that, yes, we have a very long-term contract with him as part of him being part of our junior programme, and we have activated our options to secure him for 2027.”

Later in the press conference, Mekies was asked exactly what he expects to see from Hadjar during his second season at Red Bull – and if that means getting even closer to Verstappen.

“What we expect him to do is to continue to progress,” said Mekies. “So, what we have seen in that first part of the season, not only the technical feedback, not only the maturity, not only the integration, improving his speed as he has been doing…

“That’s what we would like him to continue doing through the second part of the year, and through next year. If he does that, yes, of course, he’s going to be very close to Max. Both of these things go together.”