Ahead of F1's 1st race, Red Bull welcomes 21-year-old Hadjar to the hot seat with Verstappen

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Isack Hadjar has no lack of confidence going into his debut season at Red Bull Racing, despite having arguably the most difficult ride in Formula 1.

On the eve of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the 21-year-old French driver said he expects to win a race in his first season with the team while squaring up against teammate and four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

It seems incongruous for him to say it, given Hadjar is only going into his second season of F1 and Red Bull doesn’t appear to have a major pace advantage heading into Sunday's race at Albert Park in Melbourne.

To add to Hadjar's challenge is that Verstappen has gone through four teammates in about 15 months.

One of them, Sergio Pérez, said in January that being Verstappen's teammate was “the worst job there is in Formula 1.” Pérez was beside Verstappen for four years at Red Bull before being dropped at the end of 2024 with two years left in his contract. Pérez is returning to F1 this year with new team Cadillac.

Still, Hadjar is putting the off-track talk aside, saying the team is set to surprise everyone with the pace of the RB22 car.

“I would say I’m confident in our race car, what we can do in the race, a bit less probably on one lap pace," Hadjar told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview. "But if we’re going to surprise people it’s definitely in a good way.”

Hadjar said he was stunned by the competitiveness of Red Bull’s new power unit, an endlessly complex technical project.

“I was very happily surprised with the reliability and driveability of the engine,” Hadjar said. “I know that I can’t make engines, but I know what it requires to make something smooth to drive. And to do it in 3 1-2 years, start the project so late and (then) make it so well is so impressive.”

Also impressive is Hadjar himself, who came back from an embarrassing formation lap crash on debut during last year’s Australian GP to score points at 10 of 24 races, including a third place at the Dutch Grand Prix, the fifth-youngest podium finisher in F1 history.

Hadjar will also benefit from having the same team boss, Laurent Mekies, who also made the step from Racing Bulls to replace Christian Horner at Red Bull last year in the aftermath of Horner's exit in the days following the British Grand Prix last July.

“Yeah, it’s good, not much change for me,” Hadjar said. “I know him (Mekies) quite well, made my debut in F1 with him, we had some very good moments. So, it’s good not to step into unknown territory, so it’s good to keep going on the way I started F1.”

One change Hadjar has made is important — a geographical one. He moved from Faenza, Italy where he was close to Racing Bulls to London to be closer to Red Bull Racing’s Milton Keyes operation. He’ll need all the help he can get to take on Verstappen in the same team.

As always, Hadjar is confident and looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m just happy, at my age, to be able to see what it’s like to be next to the best driver on the grid," Hadjar said, "with the same material and see what I can do, and just learn from him.

"Yeah, I’m just happy. And lucky.”

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands prepares for the first practice session for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Mechanics work on Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar of France's car during the first practice session for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar of France poses for a portrait photo ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar of France arrives at the track ahead of the first practice session for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer has died after being injured while on a medical evacuation mission off the Washington coast.

But before he passed away Thursday evening, two poignant ceremonies were held on his behalf: His partner posted on social media that she had accepted a hospital-room wedding proposal carried out by his family. And the Coast Guard awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest military awards for heroism during flight, as his family and crewmates watched.

The rescue swimmer, Tyler Jaggers, was also promoted to petty officer 2nd class.

“He demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of danger, upholding the highest standards of courage and excellence for Coast Guard operations,” Admiral Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a statement Friday. “We honor his selfless actions and unwavering devotion to our highest calling: to save others.”

Jaggers was part of an Astoria, Oregon-based crew that responded Feb. 27 to transport a stroke victim from a commercial vessel 120 nautical miles (222 nautical km) off the Washington coast, the Coast Guard said.

The agency did not specify what happened, citing an ongoing investigation. But according to Rick McElrath, board president and founder of the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Association, Jaggers fell as he was being lowered to the deck from a helicopter. The association is a nonprofit dedicated to helping Coast Guard aviation veterans.

Jaggers had been on life support, the association said. He was treated at hospitals in Victoria, British Columbia, and at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, south of Seattle. He died Thursday evening, the Coast Guard reported.

Jaggers joined the Coast Guard in January 2022 and had served in Astoria since 2024. The Department of Homeland Security had previously recognized him for superior performance as a crew member aboard U.S. Coast Guard cutter Legare during operations in the Caribbean, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard said it is conducting an investigation into the cause of his injuries.

The Canadian Coast Guard subsequently responded to evacuate the stroke victim, McElrath said.

In a post on social media Thursday, Jaggers’ partner described how she became his fiancee: While at his hospital bedside, his dad placed the ring on her hand.

“What I didn’t realize was that he had recently told some of his closest buddies that he was getting ready to propose,” Cassandra Weaver wrote. “So yesterday, surrounded by the people who love him most, his family carried out the proposal on Tyler’s behalf.”

Her post included photos of her hand — with the new engagement ring — holding his, and touching his Coast Guard uniform.

“I always told him I didn’t care if he proposed with a Ring Pop,” she wrote. “I said yes.”

Johnson reported from Seattle.

In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, rescue swimmer Tyler Jaggers, who died March 5, 2026, of his injuries following a medical evacuation mission off the coast of Washington state, stands in uniform. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, rescue swimmer Tyler Jaggers, who died March 5, 2026, of his injuries following a medical evacuation mission off the coast of Washington state, is seen in an aircraft. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)