Has Hadjar ended the Red Bull second seat curse?

Data analysis from the first 11 rounds of the 2026 season shows that Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar is proving to be a highly competitive teammate to Max Verstappen. Statistics indicate that Hadjar has maintained a smaller qualifying gap to the Dutchman compared to recent predecessors like Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda. While Max Verstappen remains the championship benchmark, Hadjar’s current qualifying delta of approximately 0.1 seconds and a 41-point deficit after 11 rounds are the most impressive performance by a Red Bull second driver since Daniel Ricciardo in 2017. As the season progresses, analysts are watching to see if the young Frenchman can continue this trend and narrow the gap even further.