All the stars are aligned for the young French driver to join his compatriots Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly next year in Formula 1. Small presentation of the latest nugget from the Red Bull academy.
Beginnings at the age of 8 in karting
The Franco-Algerian was launched into the sport early by his father, a former amateur karting driver. He joined a flying school in 2012 and was filmed by his father to progress. From then on, he only had one dream, to become a racing driver. Despite his growing pains, his determination won’t stop him from moving up the ranks.
Between 2012 and 2018, Isack Hadjar will learn his classes until joining, in 2019, the French Formula 4 championship. One of his biggest rivals in the European championship will be Jack Crawford, who, ironically, will become his teammate when he arrived in Formula 2 at Hitech.
A victory in Monaco which makes it change dimension
At 16, Isack Hadjar won the Monaco GP in regional formula by Alpine. This victory puts him directly on the map and will bring him his first major contract with Red Bull in 2021. Helmut Marko, head of the program for detecting young drivers at the Austrian team, will make him his new nugget.
Le Parisien told L’Équipe how this meeting took place. “I had already returned to my hotel when my manager at the time called me to tell me that Helmut Marko wanted to see merevealed Hadjar a few months ago. And then I drove across town to Red Bull’s hotel to meet him. When I got home he was chatting with Christian Horner, Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez.»
This contract allows him to join a firm which has welcomed a large number of future F1 drivers as is currently the case with Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly and the reigning four-time world champion, Max Verstappen.
A laudatory nickname of “Petit Prost”
Isack Hadjar owes this nickname to Helmut Marko, not only thanks to his small size (1.67 m). “He’s a lot like him: he thinks before responding, he has a very good sense of humor. He is much less political than Prost was. He is an ideal candidate for a brilliant career» declared Marko at the microphone of Canal + in 2023.
A meteoric rise in the different categories
The young French driver will only spend one year in Formula 3 and will nevertheless obtain very good results. Fourth in the championship with three victories, Hadjar was named rookie of the year and moved up a level directly to Formula 2, still with Hitech. This is when difficulties arrive for the young pilot. Results at half mast and a 14th place in the championship which makes him doubt.
However, a grotesque situation will create awareness in him. Last March, Hadjar thought he would obtain his first victory in Formula 2 but found himself penalized for causing an accident at the start of the race. On the podium to celebrate what he thinks is his victory, this moment will create a trigger in his words, which will allow him to string together good results and to be today in second place in the antechamber of F1 before the last GP of the year.
Formula 1, and nothing else
Hadjar, who only wanted to spend one season in Formula 2, had to learn the adage “all good things come to those who wait”. Reserve driver for two years with the secondary team (Alpha Tauri then Racing Bulls), the 20-year-old Parisian only has eyes for the premier category.
«If it happens, I’ll be prepared, that’s for sure. But, today, I don’t know if I will be the starter next year” he replied to L’Équipe at the end of October. The poor performances of Sergio Perez are working in his favor and a final failure during the Abu Dhabi GP could allow him to join his compatriots Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. The outcome is near for Hadjar and all the signals are green. Be careful not to make a false start, otherwise you risk experiencing great disappointment.
