Red Bull's surprise rookie: Who is Isack Hadjar?

(Motorsport-Total.com) - His path to Formula 1 wasn't without its challenges – but now that he's arrived, Isack Hadjar is causing a stir. The 20-year-old Frenchman with Algerian roots has wasted no time in making his mark at Racing Bulls.

After a difficult start in Melbourne, where he crashed on the formation lap, he's now one of the most talked-about rookies in the field, with Q3 results in China and Japan, as well as points-scoring finishes in Japan and Saudi Arabia. His speed and consistency have already earned him praise from Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who called him "the surprise of the season."

It all started with a Disney-Pixar classic. "I was watching the movie Cars at home," Hadjar tells Motorsport.com , a sister platform of Motorsport-Total.com, about the moment his passion for motorsport ignited. "I was maybe two years old."

"I still remember when we bought the DVD. It's crazy that I can remember that! After that, I started watching Formula 1 on TV. That's how it all started."

Successes, but also frustration in karting

At the age of six, Hadjar, born in Paris, was already sitting in a kart. "There was a school near Paris that had an indoor kart track. I went there with my father, and I was really good the first time," Hadjar recalls.

He began competitive karting at around eight years old. "My first few years in karting were great—the first two or three seasons, that is." But as he progressed, things became increasingly difficult for the young driver.

"When we moved on to the national championships and things got more challenging, it became frustrating because I didn't have the mileage, the right chassis, or the right engine—in other words, I didn't have the right package to be fast. My parents were more interested in me focusing on learning at the time. So between the ages of ten and thirteen, I couldn't keep up with the others."

Hadjar was becoming increasingly frustrated that success depended more on budget than talent. "I always wanted to compete in the European and World Championships, which I achieved in my last year of karting."

"But that was all we could afford. A full season consists of over 20 races – I only drove eight. So I was underprepared, and as a result, things never really went well. My karting career was frustrating, even though the first few years were a lot of fun," the now 20-year-old recalls.

Best friends and rivals

When asked about his biggest rival in karting, Hadjar immediately names Sami Meguetounif, now active in Formula 2. "He's a good friend of mine—probably my best friend in motorsport. We had many duels in the national championships. But they were always fair and enjoyable fights."

The friendship began in 2015. "It was ten years ago now. I met him and his father in Le Mans, and he asked, 'Are you Algerian?' I said, 'I'm French, but I have Algerian roots.' And he said, 'I'm Algerian!' That was really funny."

"I think it's a beautiful story we have together. And I'm waiting for him to get to Formula 1." Hadjar is certain they'll see each other again there. "He's very fast. He's just been less fortunate than me in his career. I would say—and he knows this—I've made better decisions. And timing is also crucial. But he has everything you need."

Better in a car than in a kart

Hadjar's career took off when he switched from karting to racing cars. He won races in French Formula 4 and moved up to the Formula Regional European Championship in 2021. "In a car, you can achieve much more as a driver," he says.

"Karting is easy—if you have the right equipment, you can win. In a car, there are many more factors. Besides, I felt more comfortable in a Formula car."

His breakthrough came in Monaco, where he won a FRECA race from pole position. "I remember everything. There was a lot of pressure. The track was wet, and we were on slicks. It dried quickly, and I dominated the race—setting the fastest time lap after lap. I won. That was my best race."

After the race, his mother called him. "She said Helmut Marko wanted to meet me at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel." It was the first conversation with Marko and Red Bull. "He said he'd send me a contract. That was it—easy as that. A really good day!"

Rapid development thanks to Red Bull

With Red Bull's support, Hadjar moved up to Formula 3 in 2022. He won two sprint races and one main race and finished fourth in the overall standings, thus moving up to Formula 2 in 2023. That same year, he also drove in Formula 1 practice sessions: in Mexico for AlphaTauri and in Abu Dhabi for Red Bull.

In the Formula 2 season, he won four main races and still had a chance of winning the title at the finale in Abu Dhabi – but then his car died at the start. "Worst moment of my life," he radioed to his team at the time.

"But that's not actually true," says Hadjar today. "I've had worse moments. Sure, it hurt. But I knew what my future held. Of course, it was painful to lose like that, yes. But it wasn't the most dramatic moment."

"The worst thing was probably not being able to fight for anything—that's the worst feeling. But I've had worse moments where I thought, 'OK, I'm not going to make it to Formula 1. This is big, this is really bad.' But this had no impact at all. But as a fighter, as someone who wants to win, it hurt a lot."

What eased the pain: Two days later, he was behind the wheel of the Red Bull RB20 for the tests after the season finale in Abu Dhabi - after having already driven the first Friday practice sessions in Silverstone and Abu Dhabi.

Since Red Bull signed him, Hadjar has developed significantly. "I'm nothing like the Isack I was at FRECA four years ago – both driving and mentally. I'm noticing the progress. The technical support in the Red Bull Junior Team is very strong. I had – and still have – all the tools I needed to improve."

During his development, Hadjar worked closely with Guillaume "Rocky" Rocquelin, Sebastian Vettel's former engineer at Red Bull. "He was like my personal engineer off the track," he explains of the relationship.

"I could come to him with any question; we talked about everything from the weekend. And I still do." Although both are French, that's not a particular advantage. "He now speaks better English than French," Hadjar laughs.

No calls on Monday morning

As a Red Bull Junior, you usually get a call from Helmut Marko on the Monday after the race weekend. Not so for Hadjar. "I didn't get those calls," he reveals. "It wasn't as strict with me as it was with others. Our relationship is honest – and I laughed more with him than anything else."

By the way: Marko didn't call later that week either. "Sometimes he doesn't call me at all! And he was never rude to me. Even when I had my poor first Formula 2 season, he kept me on the program."

Hadjar savored the moment he was told he would be racing in Formula 1 in 2025. "Formula 1 was always the goal. Ever since I was a child. I never thought about anything else. But my parents—my mother is also my manager—always told me to focus on the now, not the later. They did a fantastic job with that approach."

Much has been said about Marko's comment on Austrian television after Hadjar's crash in Melbourne. He said it was "a bit painful" the way Hadjar returned to the paddock. "Yes, it was painful—I agree with him," said Hadjar. What did Marko say to him afterward?

"He wasn't interested in the crash. Things like that can happen to anyone. He wasn't angry. He just said, 'Things will be better in China.' That was all," reveals the rookie.

Special nickname "Le Petit Prost"

Hadjar is nicknamed "Le Petit Prost." "Where does that come from? Everyone asks—I have no idea," laughs the Frenchman. "I think it's because I bite my nails. Helmut told me that—that I do it like Prost. So it has nothing to do with looks. I have no idea if I look or talk like him. I have no idea. But it probably comes from biting my nails."

"But I'm very happy with the nickname because it's Prost! A legend," Hadjar adds with a smile. "I just hope it's not a problem for him to be associated with my name. I hope he's not mad!"