The thing with Max is that he’s such a godlike driver that you have to build the car around him. RBR will actually lose points if they make a car that’s drivable by both drivers but neither can get 100% out of the car. If they make a car for both they’re Ferrari in 2025 and Max outscored the entire Ferrari team.

They have nothing to lose by making the car for Max. If they make a car both Max and Isaac can drive then they’re going to fight to be the 4th best team and risk losing it to Alpine or Haas. But if they make a car in which Max can fight for podiums they’re effectively guaranteed to be the 4th best team with a very small hope of getting 3rd. Max finishing 4th and Hadjar scoring no points is better than Hadjar and Max finishing 7th and 8th.

In short, if they can’t make a car that can beat Ferrari they’re better off making a car in which Max can beat Ferrari and go toe to toe with Merc and McLaren. Sucks for Hadjar but that’s the math.