Hadjar eyes Dakar Rally adventure: “It looks like hell, but it’s very interesting”
Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar might swap his F1 dreams for desert dunes someday after getting a taste of off-road racing.
“I’ve tried the Ford Raptor. I did a filming day, the Dakar one, and it’s so much fun. It’s so different from what I’m used to. I really enjoyed it, so maybe one day,” Hadjar told GPblog during Red Bull Racing’s 2026 car livery launch.
When asked if he’d seriously consider tackling the notorious Dakar Rally, he didn’t shy away from the challenge.
“Yeah, it looks like hell. It’s a funny one to do, but it’s very interesting.”
The young French driver’s comments come as F1 drivers branching into other racing categories becomes increasingly common.
Most notably, Max Verstappen recently dominated his GT3 debut at the Nurburgring Nordschleife – the infamous “Green Hell” track that’s considered one of racing’s toughest challenges.
If Hadjar does eventually enter the Dakar, he’d be following in the footsteps of two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso, who competed with Toyota’s factory team in the punishing desert race back in 2020.
Verstappen impresses junior teammate
Earlier, Hadjar couldn’t hide his admiration for Verstappen, calling it a privilege to be teammates with the Dutch superstar.
He was particularly impressed by how Verstappen performs under pressure when races are on the line.
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