
Isack Hadjar summed up in two words what it took to be a Red Bull driver - and he thinks his skills could transfer into other motorsports too.
Hadjar did not enjoy the greatest of weekends in Miami, missing out on points in the sprint race, being disqualified from qualifying, and then driving into wall on lap six of Sunday's race.
However, the 21-year-old is still one of F1's newest faces, having debuted in 2025 with VCARB, Red Bull's junior team, before getting the call to join the big leagues in 2026.
Red Bull, as a drinks company, was first founded back in 1984, and by the end of the decade, it was sponsoring some of the most elite athletes in racing and other forms of extreme sport. Almost overnight, the brand image became intricately linked with strength, heroism, and bombast.
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But ask Hadjar for his take on what makes a Red Bull athlete unique, and he can sum it up in two words: “They’re fearless.”
We had a chance to sit down with Hadjar ahead of the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, where we were able to ply him with questions about everything from the Red Bull mindset to the least glamorous parts of the racing scene.
And when it comes down to what athletes require to make the cut at Red Bull, it’s a lack of fear that defines everyone from F1 talents like Hadjar and four-time champion Max Verstappen to record-breaking skydivers like Felix Baumgartner, who became the first human to break the sound barrier in freefall.
“Are you fearless?” I asked Hadjar.
“Not in everything I do in life, but behind the wheel,” he said.
And Hadjar is confident his fearlessness can transfer to plenty of other wheeled sports as well — but maybe not any of the more “extreme” sports!
“I would stay very close to F1,” he admitted. “Maybe MotoGP.”
“No NASCAR?”
Hadjar's eyes lit up. “Yes! Yes, yes, yes!”
Messi and alligators
Being a driver for Red Bull means more pressure to perform — and more obligations outside of the track, including an hour of rapid-fire interviews with journalists like myself.
But there's still plenty of time to have a little fun. When I asked him about the most ‘Miami’ thing he's done in the South Florida city, Hadjar named two of the city's biggest draws: sport and alligators.
“I went to the Miami game, an Inter Miami game, to see Lionel Messi,” he gushed. “Oh, and an alligator! I've seen many, many alligators at Mack's Fish Camp!”
If he could steal a skill from any of his fellow drivers, he'd snag the rain racing skills of his teammate Max Verstappen, or those of rivals Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.
The most unexpected part of moving up to Red Bull Racing? Hadjar thought hard, then admitted, “No comment!”
A very Miami weekend
And if Red Bull were to create an Isack Hadjar flavored beverage? That question had Hadjar stumped. After a few curses and a long thing, he found his answer: “Any tropical flavor.”
Red Bull had actually kicked off May's Miami weekend in April, debuting its latest Summer Edition flavor, Citrus Zest, via a yellow livery for Red Bull Racing’s sister team, VCARB. Red Bull-sponsored athletes descended upon its trackside Energy Station, looking on as F1’s Red Bull talent hit the track for one of the glitziest events of the season.
Red Bull has never just been an energy drink brand. It's more of a cultural movement designed to power excellence in all variety of descriptions — from F1 to extreme sports to music festivals. The drinks alone have amounted to a fanbase dedicated to sampling and ranking every special edition flavor, but the brand's involvement in sport, music, and culture has elevated the company to the level of international icon.
The Summer Edition — and the accompanying VCARB livery — is just the latest extension of a constantly evolving adventure. Seasonal editions have become a Red Bull specialty, keeping fans curious and always looking to try something new. And the ever-evolving product line has translated well to the F1 sphere.
Already in 2026, VCARB has adopted a special-edition livery in Japan celebrating the new cherry blossom flavor. Last year, the summer's white peach flavor resulted in a gorgeous magenta livery that was easily the best look of the year.
And with so many flavors and such a strong presence in all the coolest global disciplines, it only makes sense for Red Bull to transform the Miami Grand Prix into a launch party for a special edition reveal. Sun, speed, and style — it's as much the Red Bull Summer Edition vibe as it is the Miami GP.
Topics: Red Bull Racing, Formula 1