“I call him the little Prost”: Red Bull boss applauds Isack Hadjar after maiden F1 podium

Isack Hadjar announced himself at Zandvoort with his maiden Formula 1 podium, becoming the youngest French driver in history to stand on the rostrum. The 20-year-old Racing Bulls rookie finished third in the Dutch Grand Prix, keeping his composure and taking advantage of Lando Norris’ late retirement.

The podium ended a barren run of five races with just one point and lifted Hadjar into the top 10 of the Drivers’ Championship standings. It also made him the eighth driver to reach the podium in 2025, and Racing Bulls the sixth team represented in the ceremony alongside Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, and Aston Martin.

After the race, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko praised the rookie’s rise, revealing why he had always believed in his talent. Speaking to Crash.net, he said:

"We chose him so we knew that he has something special. I called him the 'little Prost' – the new one – in the early stages. People were laughing like often but now he delivered. What is also impressive is that if he comes to a new circuit after three laps he's competitive. On Friday, all the problems on the engine side, he wasn't affected by that. He said 'I know where I have the speed and I will qualify in the top five'. The promise is there."

Alain Prost is one of Formula 1's greatest-ever drivers. A four-time champion, he began his racing journey in France with karting before moving through French Formula Renault, Formula 3, and then F1 with McLaren in 1980.

Isack Hadjar (6) leads Charles Leclerc (16) in the Dutch Grand Prix. Source: Getty

Isack Hadjar's own rise followed a similar path. He came through karting in the French F4, FIA Formula 3, and Formula 2 before joining the Red Bull Junior Team pipeline. His performances at each stage earned him the Racing Bulls seat this season.

But comparisons can only go so far. Prost scored his first podium in 1981 at the age of 26. Hadjar, at just 20, has become not only the youngest Frenchman to stand on the podium but also the fifth-youngest in Formula 1 history. The milestone is a major marker; though, as Marko himself noted, it is only a beginning, and Isack Hadjar has a long way to go before he can match Alain Prost's record.

---

Isack Hadjar after Zandvoort: "Alain Prost just texted me"

Isack Hadjar celebrates with Racing Bulls teammates after the F1 Dutch Grand Prix. Source: Getty

The Dutch Grand Prix underlined why Red Bull's senior management believes in Isack Hadjar. He qualified in a career-best P4 on the grid, alongside Max Verstappen in the second row. Despite spending most of the race under pressure from Charles Leclerc and George Russell, the youngster avoided mistakes and closed up to Verstappen.

With five laps to go, Lando Norris pulled off with an oil leak. That promoted Hadjar into third, a position he would not relinquish. Reflecting afterwards, he admitted that the Norris retirement had given him the break, but stressed he still had to do the job on track.

"Obviously with what happened with Lando, I knew I had the car pace to be on the podium and hold my position, and that’s what we did. But it was hard not to make any mistakes. It feels good. Alain Prost just texted me so it feels amazing to beat those kinds of records," he told RaceFans.

Isack Hadjar was voted Driver of the Day for his performance, and his crew celebrated with him in parc fermé.

The podium also highlights a wider shift within the Red Bull camp. Yuki Tsunoda, promoted to the senior team earlier this year, has struggled to find form, while Liam Lawson has been solid but not spectacular as Hadjar’s current teammate. By contrast, Hadjar has already delivered a breakthrough result in his rookie season.

Asked about the driver's future, Marko told Crash.net:

"We will decide that later."

Still, the signs point to Isack Hadjar being in serious contention for a Red Bull Racing seat down the line, perhaps as soon as 2026 alongside Verstappen.