Jolyon Palmer thinks Isack Hadjar can benefit from the current situation at Red Bull this season. According to the former Formula 1 driver, Max Verstappen appears less comfortable under the new regulations, which offers opportunities for the young Frenchman. “If you consider that the team leader is visibly not enjoying himself, then as a young driver you might think this is your chance,” said Palmer.
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Jolyon Palmer looks positively to the future of Red Bull and sees that the team continues to develop. Therefore, he also thinks they will eventually overtake Alpine and Haas in the constructors’ championship. However, he believes there is still room for improvement. “They lost a lot of points with Isack Hadjar in Melbourne. Max Verstappen had to start from the back of the field there. They lost points again with Max in China and in Japan they still struggled with speed and getting everything under control. They have not had a perfect weekend yet,” Palmer said in the F1 Nation podcast.
‘Opportunity for Isack’
Although Red Bull’s last three races were not flawless, Palmer sees opportunities for the Austrian team. “They still need to find some pace, something they actually had in Melbourne. I think there is much more potential in the car than they have shown in China and Japan. They did not have the ideal car setup. They will probably bring a lot of updates to the next race,” Palmer emphasized.
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According to Palmer, Verstappen is visibly not enjoying himself, but he believes Verstappen should not be underestimated. “If Max gets the maximum out of it, he might qualify seventh or eighth. He just wants to drive the old-fashioned way, purely on the feeling of speed. Mentally he is not in the best phase, but he still delivers good work. Verstappen will become a threat again for the teams ahead of him,” the Brit noted.
Still, he sees opportunities for Hadjar, as the Frenchman perhaps has less to lose than the four-time world champion. “At Red Bull, this might be a chance for Isack. He is really driving strongly and I am impressed with how he started the season. If you then consider that the team leader is visibly not enjoying himself, as a young driver you might think: ‘This is my moment to show that I am here and I can do it’,” Palmer concluded.
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