Red Bull identify new rising star with ‘certain role’ planned for F1 2025
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Isack Hadjar is “certain” to feature in Red Bull’s plans for F1 2025, with Helmut Marko convinced the F2 championship leader “clearly has the potential” to race in Formula 1.
Red Bull‘s driver arrangements have been under intense scrutiny over recent weeks, with Sergio Perez seeing off doubts over his immediate future by retaining his seat alongside Max Verstappen for after the summer break.
Isack Hadjar set for F1 2025 Red Bull role
Less than 24 hours later, it emerged that VCARB man Daniel Ricciardo will remain where he is entering the second half of the F1 2024 season, which starts with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 25.
It remains to be seen whether Red Bull will revisit the situation as the rest of the season develops into 2025, with the futures of Perez and Ricciardo still thought to be uncertain.
Red Bull has no shortage of options for next season, with reserve driver Liam Lawson pushing for a promotion to a permanent seat and Hadjar, currently holding a 36-point lead in the F2 standings, also making a strong case to be considered.
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Winning the F2 (previously GP2) title would see Hadjar follow in the footsteps of the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Charles Leclerc and George Russell, all of whom triumphed in F1’s feeder series on their way up the racing ranks.
Writing in his Speedweek column, Marko has provided a glowing endorsement of Hadjar’s potential, claiming it is obvious that the French-Algerian star could step up to F1.
And he teased that the 19-year-old could inherit Lawson’s current role in F1 2025, working closely with both Red Bull teams ahead of a likely F1 promotion in the years to come.
Marko said: “Our Formula 2 driver Isack Hadjar took his fourth victory in the top formula racing class at Spa.
“He clearly has the potential for Formula 1. We’ll see how everything develops, but he will certainly take on a role of some kind.
“It could be that, like Lawson, he will spend a year as a test and simulator driver.”
Marko revealed earlier this year that a clause in Lawson’s contract will allow the New Zealander to cut ties with Red Bull entirely if he is not promoted to a permanent seat for F1 2025, with Red Bull’s option on the 22-year-old believed to expire next month.
Lawson participated in a test behind the wheel of Red Bull’s RB20 car following last month’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, as well as gaining extra mileage with a 2022 AlphaTauri at Imola last week, as preparations for a likely F1 promotion ramp up.
Marko has confirmed that a decision on Lawson’s future is coming within weeks – and ruled out the possibility of the driver being loaned to a rival team amid interest from Audi.
He added: “We will announce what happens next with Liam Lawson in September.
“The fact that he was able to gain more Formula 1 kilometres of experience in Imola had been planned for some time.
“Even if the competition would like to use him on loan, he is not available for that.”
In a potential boost to Lawson and Hadjar’s prospects, Marko revealed in June that Red Bull’s shareholders are keen for VCARB to return to their Toro Rosso roots as a team to train young drivers.
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