Karun Chandhok says Isack Hadjar's long-term prospects as Max Verstappen's team-mate will hinge on Red Bull's philosophical direction in 2026

Ricciardo had the No. 3 when Verstappen joined the F1 grid with Toro Rossi in 2015, so the Dutchman went with No. 33. The two were also teammates with Red Bull from 2016-18. Verstappen won his first world title in 2021 and accepted the traditional honor of driving with the No. 1.

Next year’s F1 championship will be Max Verstappen’s first at Red Bull without Helmut Marko’s advice, but the four-time World Champ need not worry as the 82-year-old says he will “of course” be his “phone a friend joker”.

Isack Hadjar is going to step up into the Red Bull team in 2026, but Ted Kravitz feels he may struggle alongside Max Verstappen. Red Bull very nearly won the world championship as Verstappen missed out by two points.

Max Verstappen has expressed his gratitude to former team principal Christian Horner, stating that the Brit “went through fire” for him, and revealed that the pair still talk on the phone ahead of almost every Formula One Grand Prix.

A year of off-track change for Red Bull ended without a world championship win for the first time since 2020. It is the end of an era.

Red Bull’s influential auto racing adviser Helmut Marko is retiring from his role at the age of 82 after 20 years in which he helped Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen develop into four-time Formula 1 champions.

Max Verstappen has opened up about life as a new father