Red Bull announce Isack Hadjar contract extension and the F1 seats still open for 2027

Red Bull have completed their F1 driver lineup for 2027 by announcing a contract extension for Isack Hadjar.

The 21-year-old Frenchman, who will return from a three-race injury layoff in Azerbaijan on Thursday, has enjoyed an impressive first campaign alongside Max Verstappen after his move up from Racing Bulls.

His reward for a consistent season, which now includes a streak of seven consecutive top-six finishes, is at least another year in the seat.

Hadjar currently sits in eighth place in the Drivers' standings with 71 points so far in 2026.

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Hadjar extension 'easy decision' for Red Bull

Retaining Hadjar had appeared to be the likely move for Red Bull after signing Verstappen to an extension through 2030, and team principal Laurent Mekies says he's 'excited' for the future.

“We’re very excited to continue our journey with Isack. Since joining us at the start of the year, he has been superb on and off track, especially considering this is only his second Formula 1 season, which made extending his contract an easy decision.

"From the very beginning, Isack immersed himself in the Team, spending every minute at the factory with his engineers to develop the car, always eager to learn and improve.

"You could see from that first weekend in Melbourne that he handled the step up with remarkable composure and had earned his place in this seat.

"The period since his injury has been a difficult one for Isack, but this extension is a testament to how much we believe in him and we can’t wait to see him back out on track.

"We still have a lot we want to achieve this season, but it's a great feeling to know that the drivers, engineers and everyone back at the factory are all heading in the same direction, committed and together."

Hadjar will continue to push

Hadjar said: “I am really excited to continue with Oracle Red Bull Racing. I came to this Team eight months ago and immediately understood the scale and ambition of this organisation.

"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.

"From the moment I signed, I set out to dedicate myself to the Team, and with the support of Laurent and everyone in Milton Keynes, I’ve been able to justify the faith they’ve had in me. I’m constantly looking to listen, learn and push myself further every single day, which only makes me more excited about what lies ahead.”

2027 F1 grid with six seats still open

The signing of Hadjar means there are now just six open seats on the 2027 F1 grid - Aston Martin, Haas and Racing Bulls are all still to officially announce their lineups:

READ MORE: Red Bull announce driver change for Azerbaijan Grand Prix'

Written by

Graham Shaw - Consultant Editor

Digital sports leader with 30 years of senior level experience running global brands. Built sportinglife.com to be a behemoth in the UK as well as being in charge of the Planet Sport network of sites including planetf1.com, football365.com, teamtalk.com and planetrugby.com. Then grew goal.com to be the world's biggest soccer website in 18 languages and 37 territories. Was GM of Portals for Perform Group (now DAZN) with overall responsibility for sportingnews.com, spox.de and voetbalzone.nl.

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