Isack Hadjar is looking to become the next rookie to join the Formula 1 grid in 2025.
There will be four new drivers joining the pinnacle of motorsport next season, with three making the step up from Formula 2.
PREMA Racing’s duo Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman will be given their chance in F1 with Mercedes and Haas respectively. The latter has already made three starts in 2024, impressing his future team and Ferrari – who he made his debut with at Jeddah in place of Carlos Sainz.
Current championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto will be joining Sauber, with the Brazilian holding a four-and-a-half-point advantage over Hadjar with two rounds to go. Former F2 driver Jack Doohan will make the step up from reverse driver and join Alpine for 2025.
And Red Bull junior Hadjar is hoping to add his name to that list of new drivers in F1, with the Frenchman taking a ‘step closer’ with recent changes at the team.
Isack Hadjar takes ‘step closer to F1’ with Red Bull reserve driver role after Liam Lawson’s promotion
Red Bull are assessing their options for 2025 at both the main team and Visa Cash App RB. Kiwi driver Liam Lawson has been racing with the latter from Austin after the sacking of Daniel Ricciardo.
Sergio Perez is at threat of losing his seat alongside Max Verstappen, with their being potentially a seat open at both teams come the end of the season.
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It was previously reported that Hadjar was set to become Red Bull’s reserve driver after Lawson’s promotion to RB. At the United States Grand Prix, the Frenchman was seen carrying out that role and he was spotted multiple times in the garage.
Speaking about the opportunity on F2’s documentary series Chasing The Dream, Hadjar reflected on the experience and how his F1 aspirations are just that bit closer to being achieved.
“Liam got in after Baku, so he started in Austin. So I got to take his role to be a reserve driver,” he said.
“[I’m] here to travel with the team and assist all the races. It’s really an inside experience as well. It’s just a step closer to F1, so it was cool.”
Can Isack Hadjar reclaim his lead in Formula 2 over Gabriel Bortoleto?
Hadjar has been fighting for the F2 title all season and had been leading going into the round at Baku. But the Frenchman has hit bad form at the wrong time and has handed Bortoleto the advantage.
The 19-year-old has only scored points once in the last seven races, that being his fourth win of the season in the Feature Race at Spa. Hadjar has won more races than any other driver this season.
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In that time, Bortoleto has been making up ground. The Sauber-bound driver has scored points in all but one of the last seven races, claiming a win from last in the Feature Race at Monza and second behind Hadjar at Spa.
With two rounds to go in Qatar and Abu Dhabi and such a slim margin between the two drivers, it will be a tense end to the 2024 season as Hadjar hopes to find an opening at Red Bull for next year.