Isack Hadjar secures final Formula 1 seat for 2025 season
What's the story
French racing driver Isack Hadjar has taken the last available seat on the Formula 1 grid for the upcoming 2025 season.
The 20-year-old will be joining Red Bull Racing second team, now called Racing Bulls. He will be racing alongside Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.
The announcement marks a major milestone in Hadjar's career and completes the grid for next year's F1 championship.
Team change
Hadjar replaces Lawson in Racing Bulls team
Notably, Hadjar is filling in the shoes of Liam Lawson, who moved to Red Bull after they released Sergio Perez.
Last season, Hadjar showcased his talent by finishing second in Formula 2, just behind Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto.
Bortoleto will also be making his F1 debut next year with Sauber, an Audi-owned team.
Praise
Racing Bulls's team principal praises Hadjar's journey to F1
Racing Bulls's team principal Laurent Mekies has called Hadjar's journey to F1 "nothing short of outstanding."
He added, "Isack has shown remarkable growth, with a series of impressive results in the junior single-seater ranks. He has the talent and drive necessary to compete at the highest level."
Mekies is confident Hadjar will adapt quickly and make a big impact on the team.
Anticipation
Hadjar expresses excitement about F1 debut
Upon his selection, Hadjar said he was excited and ready for the challenges ahead.
He said, "The journey from karting through the ranks in single-seaters, to now being in F1 is the moment I've been working toward my whole life."
He also said this transition is a big learning curve but he is committed to working hard and delivering his best for the team.
Name change
Racing Bulls confirm official name change for 2025
The team has also officially confirmed a name change for the upcoming season. Formerly known as RB, the team will now be called Racing Bulls.
The initials RB stood for Racing Bulls but were used as the full team name, including its title sponsor, was deemed too long.
However, this year all of the team's email addresses have used Racing Bulls and Red Bull has decided to return to the original name.