Isack Hadjar Admits He Was Too Soft on Verstappen, Regrets Missed Chance

Isack Hadjar has acknowledged that he was "too kind" to his teammate Max Verstappen during the British Grand Prix. The French Red Bull driver finished seventh at the Silverstone GP, one position ahead of the four-time world champion, who was eighth. Isak Hadjar, who has shown great performance in recent races, believes he could have been more aggressive in his battle with the Dutchman.

"I was too kind to Max Verstappen in that race, I could have been harder at some moments, but I think it was a good race for the team. The car was very strong throughout the weekend and we were able to score important points" declared Hadjar after the British GP.

The battle between Hadjar and Verstappen at Silverstone was one of the most outstanding moments of the race, the two Red Bull drivers engaged in a duel that kept fans on the edge of their seats, Hadjar managed to keep his position ahead of Verstappen, but the Frenchman believes he could have been even more aggressive to secure a better result: "I think I could have done more, but in the end seventh place was a good result for the team" he stated.

Isak Hadjar has shown great progress in recent races, the Frenchman has finished in the top six in the last five races and has scored points consistently. His performance has been key for Red Bull to maintain fourth position in the constructors' championship and his battle with Verstappen at Silverstone is a sign of his growing confidence.

Verstappen, for his part, had a complicated weekend at Silverstone. The Dutchman suffered a crash in qualifying and had to fight back from a delayed position in the race. Despite his eighth place, Verstappen remains the undisputed leader of the team, but Hadjar's emergence as an internal rival is creating a new scenario at Red Bull.

The Frenchman has shown he can compete with Verstappen and is not afraid to fight his teammate: "Max is an incredible driver and learning from him is a great opportunity. But I also want to show that I can be at his level," said Hadjar.

The 2026 season is being the best of Hadjar's career. He has scored points in eight of the nine races held so far, the Frenchman pilot occupies eighth position in the drivers' championship with 52 points, just 24 behind his teammate Verstappen.