2026 Red Bull F1 car “easier to push” than last year’s

Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar says the team’s 2026 Formula 1 car “seems easier to push to the limit” compared to last year, following the Bahrain test.

The French driver steps up to Red Bull’s main team following an impressive rookie season with Racing Bulls in 2025, during which he achieved a maiden podium.

Isack Hadjar had limited testing time in Red Bull’s 2025 car, but already feels like the 2026 challenger is “easier” to push, following the first three-day Bahrain test.

“It seems easier to push to the limit compared to last year’s car,” he told the official F1 website.

“It’s a bit slower in general, and also lighter, smaller.

“So, it kind of feels similar in the slow-to-medium speed corners.

“But then in the high-speed it’s quite different. But so far I already got to push it to the limit kind of, so I’m happy.”

Red Bull has impressed with the amount of mileage it has been able to achieve with its new in-house Ford engine, as well as the performance it has shown.

Max Verstappen achieved a total of 197 laps during his time in the car last week, while Hadjar managed over 130 despite losing time on day two to a hydraulic leak.

“I’m still very surprised from already the Barcelona shakedown to here at how many laps we’ve been able to achieve,” Hadjar added.

“The power unit seems, so far, reliable, powerful. I’m very happy so far.

“If anything, it’s going a bit better than we hoped for.

“More on the PU side. Then on the balance and the tyres, we still have more to do, which is normal. I mean, a lot of work to do. But I’m excited.”

Red Bull’s place in the pecking order has been talked up by its rivals following the first Bahrain test.

However, the Milton Keynes-based outfit believes Mercedes has the edge and has been sandbagging.

Testing continues next week from 18-20 February in Bahrain, before the season begins in Australia on the first weekend of March.