Hadjar to stay as Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate for 2027

Isack Hadjar will drive at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after missing three races because of a wrist injury

>Frenchman Isack Hadjar is to stay at Red Bull as Max Verstappen's team-mate for the 2027 season.

>The 21-year-old was promoted to the senior team this season after a rookie year with Racing Bulls and has managed to be closer to Verstappen on pace than any team-mate since Daniel Ricciardo in 2018.

>His best result this season came with a third place at the Monaco Grand Prix.

>Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies described the move as "an easy decision".

>Mekies said: "Since joining us at the start of the year, Isack has been superb on and off track, especially considering this is only his second F1 season."

>Hadjar returns to Red Bull for this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after missing the past three races with a broken wrist, an injury sustained while boxing as part of his training programme.

>Mekies added: "You could see from his first weekend in Melbourne that he handled the step up with remarkable composure and had earned his place in this seat.

>"The period since his injury has been a difficult one for Isack, but this extension shows how much we believe in him."

>Hadjar said: "I came to this team eight months ago and immediately understood the scale and ambition of this organisation.

>"There are so many talented people at the factory, and you're aware of the privilege of driving for such an incredible team alongside a four-time world champion like Max.

>"I'm constantly looking to listen, learn and push myself further every single day, which only makes me more excited about what lies ahead."

>Over the first half of the season, Hadjar was 0.239 seconds slower than Verstappen on average in qualifying and has managed to out-qualify the Dutchman three times, in Australia, Japan and Britain.

>In Silverstone Verstappen had a down-on-power engine and in Australia the Dutchman crashed at the start of qualifying.

>Verstappen signed a two-year extension to his contract, that now runs to the end of 2030, in August.

>Red Bull's Hadjar to return at Azerbaijan Grand Prix

>How to follow Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the BBC