Isack Hadjar offered Max Verstappen warning: 'That would be the wrong thing'

Isack Hadjar has been warned to avoid trying to race against Max Verstappen when they hit the track as Red Bull team-mates this season, although there is confidence he is fully prepared for what he will face.

Following a superb rookie season with Racing Bulls last year, and his recovery from the shock of his formation lap crash ahead of the curtain-raising Australian Grand Prix, Hadjar earned himself a promotion to Red Bull.

The French-Algerian driver becomes Verstappen's seventh team-mate in the Dutchman's 10 years in Formula 1, with Red Bull still trying to find the perfect foil for their superstar, although Sergio Perez came close before falling by the wayside.

Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer feels that even during Hadjar's 12 months with the team, he picked up enough skills to ensure he at least settles into his new role, despite the demands from all sides that will be placed upon him.

As to how he will fare on track alongside Verstappen, Bayer offered Hadjar kind words of advice.

"It's maybe one of the interesting bits about our team," said Bayer, speaking in an exclusive interview with RacingNews365 at the end of last season.

"In our team, we don't feel drivers are competing against each other, because our job is to build both of them up, and I think that's something that will help him to focus on himself. That has to be the main focus.

"I don't think anyone's going there to race against Max, because that would be the wrong thing from the beginning.

"You have to go there and be proud that you are racing for Red Bull Racing. You'll be in a team where pressure and focus will be high.

"I keep saying, I keep making this joke, if you are P11 to 20 on the grid, you might as well take a coffee mug and wait for the start.

"But if you're in the top 10 on the grid, you'll have the media, you'll have sponsors, you'll have guests, VIPs. Everyone will circle you, and I think all of that will happen to Isack."

Bayer, though, has no qualms over the 21-year-old, adding: "But I think he's well prepared. He's intelligent, he's trained, and we, as a team, have done everything to prepare him for that journey. And then the rest, we'll see."