Montoya: Red Bull Won't Change Anything for Hadjar

Pulse Sports Team 17:43 - 25 October 2026

Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has explained why it is completely natural for Red Bull's second driver, Isack Hadjar, to struggle to match the performance levels of team leader Max Verstappen.

In Austin, Hadjar had been trailing the pace throughout the weekend, but delivered an exceptional qualifying performance to take third, lining up just behind Verstappen in second.

"When Isack asks for the car to be tailored to his needs over the course of the season to perform better, it gets complicated and tough because Red Bull's cars are built for Max," Montoya explained. "That's why Hadjar ends up driving a car that he doesn't like and that doesn't suit him."

"Everything at Red Bull revolves around Max because he delivers the big results. He is the one winning, so the team sees no point in making extra changes that Hadjar wants."

"The Frenchman essentially has a choice: either adapt to a car developed for and by Max, or find an alternative path for his development."

"I feel for Isack because if he doesn't deliver strong enough results, the team starts asking questions, yet every time he gets out on track, he finds himself back at square one. And Hadjar has tremendous talent and blistering pace."