Rookie Isack Hadjar stole the spotlight at the Dutch Grand Prix as he secured his first podium.
The Racing Bulls driver had a career-best start of fourth place for Sunday's race in Zandvoort after a show-stopping lap during qualifying.
He held off the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc during the Grand Prix, and was eventually promoted up to third when Lando Norris suffered an oil leak in his McLaren.
The French-Algerian driver said the podium finish was "unreal" and was surprised he was able to stay up in the top positions.
"The car was on rails the whole weekend, and I'm really happy about myself because I really maximised what I had, made no mistakes and brought home the podium, so I'm so happy for my guys.”
The 20 year old's performance across the season has put him in contention for the second seat at Red Bull - but could the podium have sealed that decision?
Red Bull have yet to name who will be alongside Max Verstappen for 2026, while both Racing Bulls seats are also unconfirmed.
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Yuki Tsunoda is currently driving for Red Bull, but his performance this season has been less than ideal. He's 19th in the drivers standings, with 12 points and only four top ten finishes - in either ninth or tenth place.
Hadjar is now up to 10th in the standings after Zandvoort, with 37 points.
His teammate Liam Lawson has already had a stint in the Red Bull car in the opening two rounds this year, before he was replaced by Tsunoda due to lack of performance.
But he could also be in the running again for the 6-time Constructor Champions.
Hadjar was an overlooked rookie at the start of the season, as he was one of six for 2025. As races have gone on, the Frenchman impressed and steal the love of fans.
Speaking after the Dutch Grand Prix, Sky Sports' Craig Slater asked Hadjar if he would be ready for promotion to Red Bull. He confidently confirmed he's ready for anything.
But the beast that is Red Bull cannot be ignored. In the past, it's been known to chew and spit out drivers when performances are lacking.
The start of 2025 alone shows that with the early driver switch.
A case could be made to hold out on putting Hadjar in the senior team seat, so that he has more time to continue developing as a Formula 1 driver.
It may be a rookie season to remember so far, but a promotion could jeopardise an up-and-coming star.
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