Hadjar excels as the discussion around Red Bull teammates heats up.

      "Isack continues to impress us."

      The uncertainty within Red Bull about Max Verstappen's teammate for 2026 remains unresolved. The latest outlandish rumour suggesting that Indycar star Alex Palou may be in the running has once again been firmly denied. "We’ve never spoken to him," Dr. Helmut Marko told Sky Deutschland at Zandvoort. "We have our drivers, and he’s not on our radar."

      However, Marko's remarks came at a notable moment. On the same day, Isack Hadjar surprised everyone by securing P4 on the Zandvoort grid in his Racing Bulls car, just behind Verstappen, while Yuki Tsunoda found himself in P12. "Isack never ceases to amaze us," Marko commented with a smile. "He encountered power unit issues twice on Friday, but he didn't let that deter him. The Frenchman simply handles challenges like that and performs when it matters. That was very impressive."

      French media are excited about this. L’Equipe’s Jerome Bourret characterized the "sincere and extended handshake" between Marko and Hadjar in the Red Bull hospitality area as "worth all the discussion."

      In contrast, Tsunoda's situation appears bleak. His only potential opportunity may lie with Alpine or possibly Aston Martin if Lawrence Stroll decides to part ways with his struggling son. "This seems like a farewell tour to me," remarked former driver Ralf Schumacher. Schumacher acknowledged that Hadjar is now the frontrunner for a promotion. "It’s quite a challenge to drive alongside Max Verstappen," he observed. "But I’m not sure what advice to give as a manager. And Racing Bulls could benefit from a driver of Hadjar’s caliber in a leadership role."

      Red Bull head Laurent Mekies believes Tsunoda shouldn't be dismissed just yet. "Yuki had a strong finish to last season and a solid start to this one," he said. "Right now, he is still three or four tenths slower than Max, so we will see how he performs moving forward. There are still ten races to go, and we are doing our best to support Yuki."

      In the meantime, Hadjar is excited about his opportunity. Speaking to Canal Plus after qualifying, the 20-year-old stated, "I believe this is the best position to be in. Verstappen starts third, he’ll create some space, protect me, and we’ll follow him. I didn’t get to do the long runs yesterday, so I’m a bit short on information, but the Ferraris will be challenging to keep at bay, as will Russell. However, we’re in a fantastic position to earn significant points."