Isack Hadjar stated that Red Bull has taken a step forward in recent rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season and described the car as “more reliable.” Still, on the eve of the Hungarian GP, the Frenchman cautioned that performance remains far from the level required to challenge for top positions on a regular basis.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday (23), Hadjar said he has been extracting the car’s full potential in recent races and highlighted his growing confidence behind the wheel. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that current performance falls short of the target set for the season.

“It was a difficult start to the season. I felt like I was getting even the simplest things wrong. We’ve improved in recent rounds, and the car is more reliable. Overall, the direction is positive, but we need more races that allow us to fight for higher positions. I’m confident now; the car is consistent, and I’ve been able to get the most out of it for a while. I’m happy, even if we’re still not at the level I’d like to be,” he said.

The Frenchman went on to explain that Red Bull is still trying to wrap its head around certain characteristics of the RB22, expressing hope that the upcoming break will allow for development breakthroughs before the season resumes at Zandvoort for the Dutch GP.

Isack Hadjar sees potential for Red Bull’s growth in 2026 (Photo: Red Bull Content Pool)

“I think there are still many things we don’t fully understand about our car. Racing every single weekend doesn’t help on that front, so I hope that by the time we return in Zandvoort, we’ll have more answers. The break will mainly be for resting, but I hope to come back with a clearer picture,” he concluded.

Formula 1 returns July 24–26 in Budapest, host of the Hungarian GP, Round 11 of the 2026 season.

F1 Hungarian GP: when to watch in US ET, London (UK), New Delhi (India), Shanghai (China) and Sydney (Australia)

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