Red Bull Racing appears to have solved its second driver problem, which has existed since Daniel Ricciardo first left the team at the end of the 2018 season. The pair were teammates for almost three complete seasons, and the competition was incredibly close.
In an era when Mercedes was dominating, both drivers racked up 2 wins each, with Verstappen proving to be the faster driver over one lap, yet the points tally was remarkably close with the pair separated by just 18 points (608 to 590 in Verstappen’s favor).
The pair delivered stunning wheel-to-wheel racing, which included Verstappen’s maiden victory in Barcelona (2016) and Ricciardo’s famous Monaco victory in 2018. Yet matters came to a head when the drivers collided with each other in Baku (2018), and Ricciardo felt team boss Christian Horner had sided with Verstappen over the incident.
The much-loved Australian left for Renault in 2019. Since then, Red Bull has struggled to find a teammate for Max who can hold a candle to his racing skills. Pierre Gasly was promoted from Toro Rosso to replace Ricciardo in 2019, but survived just 12 races before being sent back to the junior team.
Red Bull’s Second-Seat Turmoil
Next off the line was Alex Albon, who replaced Gasly and was retained for the full season in 2020. However, he was unable to live with Verstappen’s pace and was demoted to the role of reserve driver in 2021 before moving to Williams the following year.
With Dr. Helmut Marko’s young driver program failing to deliver the next F1 superstar, Red Bull decided to recruit from outside its fold, bringing in the experienced Sergio Pérez in 2021. Initially, the move appeared to have worked, given Red Bull claimed back-to-back Constructors’ titles in 2022 and 2023.
The Mexican driver even finished runner-up in the second season, handing Red Bull its first-ever 1-2 in the Drivers’ Championship. Pérez claimed five race wins during his four years with Red Bull, but his results went off a cliff in 2024, costing the team another Constructors’ Championship.
Pérez was relieved of his duties in 2025, with Red Bull bringing in Liam Lawson to partner Verstappen. This lasted for just two races before the Kiwi was demoted back to the sister team and Yuki Tsunoda was promoted to take his place.
The Japanese driver proved to be an unmitigated disaster for Red Bull Racing, scoring points on just seven occasions during the year and finishing the season down in P17 in the Drivers’ Championship. He was demoted to reserve driver for this year, while Isack Hadjar was the next taxi off the rank to join Verstappen at Red Bull.
Hadjar’s Resurgence and Injury Setback
Hadjar’s F1 career started in ignominious fashion, as he crashed out on the formation lap at the season opener in Melbourne 2025. On his return to the paddock, the French driver was filmed in floods of tears and consoled by Anthony Hamilton—the father of Lewis.
Dr. Helmut Marko was not impressed, later stating to ORF: “Isack Hadjar did a little bit of crying after his crash. That was a bit embarrassing.” Yet despite his public humiliation at the hands of the Austrian driver advisor, Hadjar fought back strongly and finished the season ahead of his teammate Liam Lawson.
His reward was the dubious opportunity to partner Max Verstappen this season—a role that has crushed most drivers before him. Yet Hadjar has performed remarkably well against the quadruple world champion. Following two retirements and a finish outside the points in the first four races of the year, Isack has scored heavily in the points and sits just 44 points behind his teammate.
Yet during the summer break, he suffered a wrist injury during training, forcing him to sit out the first race back last weekend in Zandvoort. Red Bull initially played down the matter, implying that Hadjar would return two weeks later for the next F1 event in Monza. Yet as TJ13 observed at the time, had the injury been slight and Hadjar set to miss just one race, the decision to replace him for the Dutch Grand Prix only would have probably fallen in Yuki Tsunoda’s favor.
Lawson Steps Up as Hadjar Faces Extended Absence
However, it was Liam Lawson who was promoted alongside Max Verstappen in Zandvoort, and with the Dutch driver crashing out on the opening lap, the New Zealander was the only driver to score for Red Bull Racing. Now it appears he will remain with the Milton Keynes-based squad, given Hadjar’s injury is more serious than Red Bull Racing let on.
The team is concerned that if they rush Hadjar back for Monza, the extreme nature of the circuit could exacerbate his injury and put him out for the rest of the season. Given that Hadjar and Red Bull are not in contention for titles this season, team principal Laurent Mekies is set to make a decision to bench Verstappen’s teammate for longer than anticipated.
Monza is known as the Cathedral of Speed due to its high-speed characteristics, which see drivers on full throttle for around 70% of the lap. The corners are also among some of the quickest on the calendar, placing extra stress on the drivers’ bodies.
Hadjar will again be relieved of his duties for the Italian Grand Prix and is likely to miss the back-to-back race weekend at the inaugural circuit in Madrid. While no final decision has been made on Hadjar’s return, Liam Lawson is currently continuing with preparations for Monza with the Red Bull team.
Lawson was the best of the rest outside the McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari drivers in Zandvoort, which was as good as could have been expected given Red Bull’s lack of pace all weekend in the sand dunes beside the North Sea. In qualifying, he was just over a tenth of a second slower than Verstappen—a remarkable turnaround since his two-race stint alongside the world champion in 2025.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
