In a moment that will be etched in Formula 1 history, 20-year-old French rookie Isack Hadjar secured his maiden F1 podium with a stunning third-place finish at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31, 2025. The Racing Bulls driver, who described the achievement as “unreal,” shared the podium with his childhood hero, Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen, making the occasion even more poignant. “Max is someone I’ve been looking up to since my karting days,” Hadjar said, reflecting on the emotional weight of standing alongside Verstappen in front of the Dutchman’s home crowd.
Hadjar’s journey to the podium was nothing short of remarkable. Starting fourth on the grid after a stellar qualifying performance—just 0.283 seconds behind Verstappen—the young driver showcased his talent by holding off challenges from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell throughout the race. His opportunity for a top-three finish came when McLaren’s Lando Norris retired with an oil leak seven laps from the end, promoting Hadjar to third behind race winner Oscar Piastri and Verstappen in second. “It feels a bit unreal,” Hadjar told Motorsport.com. “What was most surprising for me was keeping that fourth place for the whole race. We made no mistakes. The car was on rails the whole weekend, and I’m really happy about myself because I really maximized what I had.”
The podium marked a significant milestone for Hadjar, who became the fifth-youngest driver in F1 history to achieve the feat and the first Arab driver to stand on the podium, racing under the French flag with Algerian heritage. It was a stark contrast to his inauspicious F1 debut in Australia earlier in 2025, where he crashed on the formation lap and was consoled by Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony. “Obviously, I thought my life was over, but then you realize it can happen and you bounce back very quickly,” Hadjar said, reflecting on his recovery. “Finishing third, I’m just over the moon.”
Sharing the podium with Verstappen, whom Hadjar has idolized since his karting days, added a layer of personal significance. Before the race, Racing Bulls shared a nostalgic photo of a young Hadjar posing with Verstappen, highlighting their connection as they lined up together on the second row of the grid. “To share the track, spend most of the race behind him, being within two or three seconds the whole time, and share my first podium with him on his home soil as well, I think it’s pretty cool,” Hadjar said during the post-race press conference.
Verstappen, who finished second to delight his home fans, praised Hadjar’s performance. “It’s fantastic,” he said on the Talking Bull Podcast. “Coming in as a rookie is not easy with these cars. For him to be on the podium here is fully deserved.” The mutual respect was evident, though both drivers shared a lighthearted moment when asked about the prospect of being teammates at Red Bull in 2026. Verstappen jokingly said, “Terrible,” before clarifying, “I’m joking!” Hadjar responded in kind, smiling as he quipped, “I don’t want to be next to Max. I don’t like him!” before affirming his admiration.
Hadjar’s podium has intensified speculation about his future with Red Bull, where he is part of their junior program. His 37 points in the 2025 season—contributing significantly to Racing Bulls’ 60-point haul—outshine the performance of Verstappen’s current teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, who finished ninth at Zandvoort. With Red Bull’s former Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies now leading the senior team, Hadjar’s promotion prospects are strong, though he remains cautious about the challenge of racing alongside Verstappen.
Despite the triumph, Hadjar’s celebrations hit a minor snag when he accidentally broke his handmade Delft Blue trophy during team photos. The ceramic trophy, crafted by Royal Delft, snapped at the neck when placed on the ground, prompting laughter from Hadjar and his team. A replacement is reportedly being arranged. “It’s crazy, but at the same time, it’s something I’ve visualized since I was a kid,” Hadjar said of his podium moment, undeterred by the mishap.
As the F1 circus moves to the next race, Hadjar’s breakthrough performance has marked him as a star on the rise. With his idol Verstappen by his side, the young Frenchman’s first podium is a glimpse of a bright future in Formula 1. “This is a first step, my first podium, and hopefully many more to come,” he said, echoing the sentiment of fans and pundits alike.
