Marko responds: will Hadjar become Verstappen's teammate after show in Zandvoort?

19:58, 31 Aug

byMarnik Kok

Helmut Marko is once again thrilled that Max Verstappen was able to make the most of a Grand Prix, especially in front of his home crowd in Zandvoort. At the same time, he sees a bright future for Isack Hadjar—but will it be with Red Bull?

The Dutch Grand Prix ended with two Red Bull-affiliated drivers on the podium. Max Verstappen finished second behind Oscar Piastri, while, to everyone’s surprise, Isack Hadjar claimed third for the Racing Bulls.

Hadjar, however, earned his result through his own efforts. Already on Saturday, he qualified fourth and held that position admirably. After Lando Norris retired and a safety car period shuffled the order, he managed to keep P3—a result that delighted both the team and Red Bull executive Helmut Marko.

"Isack is very good, very good," he tells GPblog exclusively. He has every confidence that he can become a great driver, maybe even on the level of Verstappen: ''You see in the future a very good and big driver.''

Hadjar took his first podium in Formula 1 at Zandvoort

Hadjar and Verstappen? That remains a mystery

Marko is more than pleased with Verstappen's result: ''We had the maximium, but we've also been lucky,'' continues the Austrian, who is looking back with a slight smile on Verstappen's switch to the soft tires: ''The tyres didnt work out. McLaren just was faster.''

With the praising words for Hadjar, who finished well ahead of Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda, this site asked whether the podium has increased his chances of a seat in the top team. On that, Marko remains silent. "No, we have our own plans," is all he wants to say about that.

Hadjar currently ranks tenth in the drivers' standings with 37 points, while Yuki Tsunoda is nineteenth with just twelve points. Teammate Verstappen has scored 205 this year.