The second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen has long carried a reputation as one of the toughest assignments in Formula 1.
Since Daniel Ricciardo departed at the end of 2018, the Milton Keynes-based team has repeatedly searched for the right balance beside the Dutchman.
Some drivers showed flashes of quality, others struggled to settle, while Sergio Perez provided the longest period of stability in the role.
Pierre Gasly was the first to take on the challenge after Ricciardo left for Renault. His Red Bull spell lasted just 12 rounds in 2019, during which he scored 63 points with no podiums and lost the qualifying head-to-head 1-11 before being demoted.
Alex Albon fared slightly better across 26 grands prix, managing two podiums and 181 points, but he too was ultimately replaced at the end of 2020.
Perez then brought much-needed continuity, spending four seasons alongside Verstappen from 2021 to 2024. He accumulated five wins and 29 podiums, including a runner-up championship finish in 2023.
Last season proved particularly turbulent. Liam Lawson scored zero points in two races before being swapped for Yuki Tsunoda, who managed just 30 points and no podiums across 22 rounds.
That context makes Isack Hadjar's start all the more impressive. Through 11 rounds, the 21-year-old has scored 68 points with a best finish of fourth in Monaco, stringing together seven consecutive top-six finishes from Canada to Hungary.
There have been no podiums yet, and two early retirements remain part of the picture, but the trajectory appears upward.
In a seat where recent history has shown how difficult it can be to build rhythm and confidence, Hadjar has already done enough to stand out.
In a recent poll conducted by RacingNews365, Hadjar was viewed as the best team-mate Verstappen has had at Red Bull since Ricciardo's departure.
When combining the two Hadjar-supportive responses in the poll, a striking 76.45% of voters, more than three-quarters, backed the Frenchman either as the outright pick of the lot or as someone who will surpass Perez with time.
Check out the full results of the latest poll by RacingNews365 below!
Originally published by RacingNews365 —
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