Isack Hadjar Red Bull F1 contract length addressed after new deal confusion

Red Bull has clarified that Isack Hadjar has a “very long” contract after announcing he will stay as Max Verstappen’s team-mate for the 2027 Formula 1 season. 

It was confirmed on Wednesday ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix that Hadjar would remain at Red Bull for a second campaign, having been promoted to the senior team from Racing Bulls for 2026. 

The 21-year-old Frenchman has made a strong start to life at Red Bull and so far appears to have avoided the struggles encountered by many of his predecessors. Hadjar scored a best result of third place at the Monaco Grand Prix to claim his first Red Bull podium. 

Hadjar did cause some confusion when he faced the media in Baku when he admitted he did not know the length of his new Red Bull contract. 

Asked whether it was a multi-year term, a relaxed Hadjar replied: "I actually don't know. I don't care. Yeah, but, you know, if you're good, you stay, and that's it."

Naturally, the same question was then put to Hadjar’s boss, Laurent Mekies, during Thursday’s FIA press conference for team representatives. 

“Isack has been with Red Bull for a very long time, and that means that we have a very long-term contract with him as part of him being part of our junior program, and we have activated our options to secure him for 2027,” the Red Bull team principal said. 

Mekies said the decision to retain Hadjar was “really easy” for Red Bull. 

“It was really easy,” Mekies added. “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, was pretty much every other week with us in Milton Keynes. And 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.”

Mekies also spoke about Hadjar’s recovery from his wrist injury that kept him sidelined for three consecutive races in the Netherlands, Monza and Madrid. 

“We always follow a very simple principle,” Mekies explained. “We only wanted to get Isack back when he was 100% and perhaps even more importantly than that, when we were sure that we would not be taking any risk for his future long-term recovery. 

“This was not possible in Zandvoort, not possible in Monza and Madrid. He had his last scan on Sunday this week. We had him on the simulator on Monday and we couldn't get him out of the simulator on Monday night, so we felt it was a good enough test. 

“He’s fit, so it's good to have him back and we're pretty convinced that he's going to be close to 100%.”