Isack Hadjar will remain at Red Bull as Max Verstappen’s team-mate for the 2027 Formula One season, the team confirmed ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The 21-year-old Frenchman is due to return in Azerbaijan after missing the past three races with a broken wrist sustained while boxing as part of his training programme.

Hadjar joined Red Bull’s senior team this season after a rookie year with Racing Bulls. He has been closer to Verstappen in pace than any of the Dutchman’s team-mates since Daniel Ricciardo in 2018. Hadjar’s best result so far was third place at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies called the extension “an easy decision”. He said: “Since joining us at the start of the year, Isack has been superb on and off track, especially considering this is only his second F1 season.”

Mekies also pointed to Hadjar’s first race weekend in Melbourne as evidence that he was ready for the promotion. “You could see from his first weekend in Melbourne that he handled the step up with remarkable composure and had earned his place in this seat,” he said. “The period since his injury has been a difficult one for Isack, but this extension shows how much we believe in him.”

Hadjar said he had quickly grasped the scale of the team after joining eight months ago. “I came to this team eight months ago and immediately understood the scale and ambition of this organisation,” he said. “There are so many talented people at the factory, and you're aware of the privilege of driving for such an incredible team alongside a four-time world champion like Max. I'm constantly looking to listen, learn and push myself further every single day, which only makes me more excited about what lies ahead.”

In qualifying over the first half of the season, Hadjar was an average of 0.239 seconds slower than Verstappen. He out-qualified Verstappen three times, in Australia, Japan and Britain. At Silverstone, Verstappen had an engine that was down on power; in Australia, he crashed at the start of qualifying.

Verstappen signed a two-year contract extension in August, taking his deal through the end of 2030. Hadjar’s return at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix follows his recovery from the wrist injury and coincides with the announcement of his 2027 seat.

Based on reporting by BBC Sport.