VCARB sign Isack Hadjar to complete driver lineup

Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team (VCARB) have announced that Red Bull Academy driver and current Formula Two runner-up Isack Hadjar will be racing for them Formula One next year, partnering Yuki Tsunoda. 

Hadjar finished second in the 2024 F2 season behind Gabriel Bortoleto, who has also moved up to F1 with Sauber. The 20-year-old raced for Campos Racing and secured four victories and eight podiums to finish second in his second F2 season.

The French-Algerian racer has also been acting as a Reserve and Test Driver for Red Bull and AlphaTauri/VCARB since 2023. 

Hadjar becomes the 19th driver from the Red Bull Academy to make the move up to Formula One, joining the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, and Sebastian Vettel among others.

Speaking about joining VCARB, Isack Hadjar commented:

“I’m very excited to step into my new role at VCARB, this is huge for myself, my family and all the people who have believed in me from the beginning. The journey from karting through the ranks in single-seaters, to now being in Formula One is the moment I’ve been working towards my whole life, it is the dream. I feel like I’m stepping into a whole new universe, driving a much faster car and racing with the best drivers in the world. It’ll be a huge learning curve, but I’m ready to work hard and do the best I can for the team. I look forward to working with and learning from Yuki, I’ve always looked up to him, he went through the Red Bull Junior Program, like myself, and we’ve shared a similar path to F1. He’s very experienced and will be good to learn from.”

Laurent Mekies, VCARB Team Principal, added:

“We’re excited to have Isack with us next year, bringing a new and fresh dynamic to the team alongside Yuki in 2025. His journey to Formula One has been nothing short of outstanding, he has shown remarkable growth, with a series of impressive results in the junior single-seater ranks. He has the talent and drive necessary to compete at the highest level, and we have every confidence that he will adapt quickly and make a significant impact. I believe Isack and Yuki will make a great team. Yuki brings invaluable experience to the team, he’s shown incredible resilience and maturity, which will be crucial for the team as we strive to hit all our aims and objectives in 2025.”

Also read: Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team Sponsors 2024

Peter Bayer, VCARB CEO, added:

“Firstly, we must congratulate Liam for his step up to Oracle Red Bull Racing. As a sister team and as an incubator for Formula One talent, our strategic objective is to foster and nurture our drivers in preparation for this next step. With this move and by bringing Isack into VCARB, it’s a testament to our longstanding commitment to develop the best young drivers in motorsport, as well as proof of concept of the Red Bull Junior Program. Having a younger driver supports our mission to speak to a younger audience, so we look forward to bringing new and existing fans on the journey with us.”