There will be three French drivers in F1 next year: Red Bull is preparing to start Parisian Isack Hadjar for the 2025 season.
The end of the Formula 1 season will mark a decisive turning point for several drivers, notably Sergio Pérez, whose future with Red Bull will end at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix scheduled for this weekend. Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar, a young French talent from the Red Bull junior program, will be one of the winners of the ongoing shake-ups.
The end of an adventure for Sergio Pérez
Sergio Pérez is having a complicated 2024 season, marked by lackluster performances and a gulf of 277 points separating him from his teammate, Max Verstappen. His weekend at the Qatar Grand Prix is the perfect reflection of this: a missed Sprint qualification, a missed start and a race retirement.
These poor performances have now definitively sealed his fate within Red Bull Racing. According to consistent sources, the final in Abu Dhabi will be his last Grand Prix with the Austrian team.
Franco Colapinto: a missed opportunity
Franco Colapinto, noted for his impressive debut at Williams replacing Logan Sargeant, had attracted the attention of Red Bull. However, his mistakes during the races in Brazil and Las Vegas cooled the team's decision-makers. Christian Horner, however, recognized the potential of the young Argentinian, while emphasizing the depth of the Red Bull junior program.
“Franco is a promising talent, but we already have an exceptional pool of young drivers” Horner said, hinting that Colapinto will have to wait for another opportunity in F1.
Hadjar in F1: a dream within reach
While Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda are tipped to replace Pérez at Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar is now positioned as the favorite to join the junior team, Racing Bulls. Currently engaged in Formula 2, the French driver has impressed with his consistency and his results.
Christian Horner did not fail to congratulate him last Sunday in Qatar: “Isack is doing a great job in F2. The battle for the title is close, and he has all the qualities to shine.”
A decisive weekend in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi promises to be crucial for Isack Hadjar. In addition to fighting for the Formula 2 championship title against Gabriel Bortoleto, he will have the opportunity to drive Max Verstappen's Red Bull during free practice 1. An experience which should definitely convince Red Bull managers of his potential in Formula 1.
For the young Frenchman, the objective is clear: to climb among the elite and proudly represent the Red Bull junior program on the world stage from the 2025 F1 season.
