Anthony Davidson believes Isack Hadjar is performing better than many of the drivers previously paired with Max Verstappen at Red Bull, after keeping his qualifying deficit relatively small through the opening 11 rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Hadjar has been just over two tenths of a second slower than Verstappen on average in qualifying. That figure is better than Red Bull's reported maximum target of a three-tenths deficit and compares favourably with several drivers who have occupied the team's second seat since Daniel Ricciardo left at the end of 2018.
“Stepping up alongside Max Verstappen is always going to be a very difficult challenge, but it's nice to know where the benchmark is as a driver,” Davidson told Sky Sports F1. He believes competing directly against Verstappen provides an unmistakable reference for the performance level required.
Davidson also views that situation as a significant mental challenge for Hadjar. “When you go up against someone like Max Verstappen, you've got the benchmark of where you need to be. There's nowhere to hide, and so it's an honest experience for Hadjar,” he said.
In terms of results, Hadjar has scored 68 points during the first half of the 2026 season. He has also shown flashes of potential by qualifying on the second row in Melbourne and recording a best finish of fourth in Monaco, strengthening the impression that the 21-year-old has adapted effectively to the demands of Red Bull's second seat.
The comparison with his predecessors is also central to Davidson's assessment. Since Ricciardo left, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have all faced different difficulties alongside Verstappen, while Hadjar has so far kept his average qualifying deficit below three tenths of a second.
“I think he's doing very, very well; better than a lot of Red Bull drivers have managed alongside Verstappen,” Davidson said. With the first half of the campaign complete, Hadjar's ability to maintain that level will be one of the key measures of his progress through the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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