Isack Hadjar: His Entry into F1, His Expectations for 2025 and Beyond

Isack Hadjar enters a new era of his career. After a season in F2 where he impressed with his speed and racing intelligence but sometimes lacked luck and reliability with his single-seater, the young French driver has been appointed to Racing Bulls for the 2025 Formula 1 season. This promotion marks a turning point: it is no longer just about shining as a junior, but about making a mark in the elite of motorsport.

This transition to F1 was not guaranteed, however. Until Abu Dhabi, Hadjar had no assurance of securing a seat. It was only after a decisive phone call from Helmut Marko that he was confirmed in the role of a main driver. Now, a brand new challenge awaits him: facing the best drivers in the world and making a name for himself in the paddock.

Before starting the 2025 season in Formula 1, Isack Hadjar had some time to devote to various interviews, including with GT driver Romain Monti or on the podcast Les pistonnés. The Racing Bulls driver discussed his ambitions for the future and how he signed in Formula 1. His interview with Les pistonnés took place at the end of his first day dedicated to the media. « All day, actually. I started at 9:30 a.m. and until 4 p.m. it was interviews all the time, I had a break to eat, otherwise, it was just that. » It’s obviously not what he prefers, but he is aware that it is part of his job.

Looking Back on Last Season

In 2024, Hadjar was still within Red Bull’s fold but continued to hone his skills in Formula 2. Long in contention for the title, he lost everything at the start of the final Grand Prix.

Hadjar also reflects on great moments like at Spa, the highlight of the season according to him. « Spa was unfortunately the last victory of the season, I didn’t know it at the time but it was truly the point where I was clearly smashing the championship. It wasn’t easy but that day we clearly dominated. »

The frustration in Abu Dhabi is still present: it was his very last F2 start, and a mechanical problem prevented him from starting. Yet, he was in a good position to win the race: « There the scenario is perfect, my rival starts second, I start third, I have a car that at that moment was performing well, we were in great shape that weekend, I told myself it’s the perfect scenario, I’m going to win it fairly and I’m going to be champion, it’s magnificent », he thought before the race. He obviously regrets « not having [had] the opportunity to fight, it’s super frustrating ».

A driver committed to understanding his environment, like Alain Prost

While some drivers rely entirely on their talent, Hadjar takes the time to analyze and understand. In the past, test sessions were fairly regular, but now everything happens on a simulator. And since he doesn’t have the chance to simply get into a car and drive, he is forced to pay special attention to everything else: “Everything I can do other than driving, I do,” taking advantage of the many people around to help him.

The difference can be made through his scientific approach to racing, he believes: « The difference you can make with your engineering group if you keep up with them without them needing to simplify things, you gain an edge over others. For me, we’re all fast drivers, we can all go quick on a lap, but the work you do outside the car is so tremendous, I hope it pays off », he states.

If he used to bombard the engineers with questions before, he explains that during his early days in F1 he will undergo more, taking time to adapt. I can’t just arrive and start acting as the team leader and all that […] because I don’t have the tools for it, I don’t have the experience.

If possible, he thinks rather than acts on instinct. « I don’t know if it’s related to my approach or my looks, but Helmut [Marko] called me ‘mini-Prost’ ». It’s more often the nickname “the little Prost” that you hear, but in any case, the comparison can only be flattering: the talent of the one nicknamed “the Professor” for his very intellectual approach to motorsport is recognized worldwide.

The dream of reaching F1

Since he was little, Isack Hadjar has been passionate about speed and cars, to the point that he never had a plan B. This comes from the movie Cars. « I’ve seen the movie Cars hundreds and hundreds of times. So for me it was normal, the car, the speed. »

After several seasons in karting, he was noticed by Helmut Marko himself in Monaco by winning a Formula Renault regional race: that very evening, Helmut Marko wanted to meet him to present a contract.

« Anyway, it was simple. I won in Monaco in FRECA, and on the same day, I was signed. […] Helmut Marko wanted to see me that evening at the hotel to tell me OK I’m going to send you a contract, basically. »

Joining this program allowed him to see further ahead, to know that if he performed well, he would advance in the hierarchy. In this sport, having perspective is a luxury. This is how he truly got a foot into F1, as he had access to briefings, feedbacks with the engineers in particular.

« Nobody told me: Isack Hadjar, you are a Formula 1 driver before Abu Dhabi even in Qatar all that, nobody told me you will be in Formula 1 next year.

Before Helmut Marko’s call in Abu Dhabi last year, Isack Hadjar was not at all sure of having a seat in F1 in 2025. However, there was a misunderstanding with the press before that. When asked if he knew more about his future, he answered affirmatively: he knew he would at least have a role as a reserve driver in F1, but not if he would be a main driver. At that time, many believed he had already signed his contract, but that was not the case.

« [Paul] Aron had just been talking about the role of a reserve driver and everything, and at that moment I was a reserve driver and they said to me “Isack can you say more about your future?” and I told them “I know more about my future in quotes but nothing is confirmed.” Because I knew that next year I was going to be in the F1 paddock. […] People thought they understood that yeah, that’s it, I had signed my F1 contract and it was settled. »

The competition with Colapinto for the spot at Racing Bulls was mentioned: Franco Colapinto has impressed a lot, he was already very popular, he probably brought in quite a bit of finances… But Isack Hadjar says he didn’t really pay attention to it: he had given his all in F2, there was nothing more he could do. I’ve heard it like everyone else, but I really didn’t… what do you want me to do? I’m just trying to win my thing in F2, to do well, and at that point in the season I had already proven everything. I showed what needed to be shown, that’s enough, I’m happy.

His first run in Formula 1

After the dream, the consecration. Finally, though still so young but after so much waiting, Isack Hadjar can finally take the wheel of a Formula 1 car, driving an AlphaTauri. In addition to media pressure, the tension was high not to stall in a single-seater he still didn’t know much about: « Am I going to take off without stalling? » he wondered. He thought he would be impressed by the sensations in the car during braking and fast corners, but as soon as he disabled the limiter coming out of the pit lane, he was blown away by the car’s power.

« And I disengage the pit limiter and then it takes off. But really, it shocked me. In Mexico, that’s where the highest top speeds are. […] I thought the braking, the fast corners would be impressive, but honestly, even the power, it was quite crazy. »

« Big difference with F2? You get lit up. It’s nothing like it. »

« In the race […] the tire degradation was very low, unlike in F2 where it’s more complicated, I could really push. », notes Hadjar enthusiastically.

Surprised by the low tire degradation compared to what he experienced in F2, he quickly realized the difference in usage and the narrow temperature window that Pirelli tires have in F1 to perform.

The most complicated thing for me was working on getting the tires warmed up, the tire warm-up, in F1 it’s complicated, because you know you have a precise target to reach before starting your lap and in fact the front tires cool down very quickly in temperature.

With still very little experience in F1, he even admits to being apprehensive about the moment when he’ll have to drive under changing conditions and in the rain: « Driving an F1 in changing conditions on slicks, honestly they are so complicated to drive, they slip so quickly, there’s so much power you can easily get caught out. We saw the rookies in the rain in Brazil, it was very tough. »

In addition to the weather conditions, Hadjar will also discover several circuits that he has never raced on this year. An additional challenge.

Discovering new tracks in a Formula 1, that’s fine… on sprint weekends, I won’t even have the time […] it’s going to be complicated, I know it.

However, he points out that there are only 5 laps in Free Practice in F2, he prefers the F1 format, he will have more time to practice before qualifying and the race:

« The F1 format, for example FP1, FP2, FP3 before going to qualifying, I prefer that over five laps in Free Practice in F2 and then going to qualifying.

Starting in the right stable

He thinks he is in a good environment for his F1 debut: he is not in a team where computer results sometimes take precedence over the drivers’ feelings, as Bottas complained about during his years with Mercedes. Isack Hadjar discussed it with his engineer, « What I discussed with Laurent, my engineer, […] I remember I was having dinner with him and he told me, “it’s true we have plenty of sensors on the car, but the most important thing is still the driver.” So when your engineer tells you that, you think, okay, I’ve joined people with the right approach. »

He’ll have to get used to the change in atmosphere between F2 and F1: now it’s much more serious. However, my engineer is French, the engineers are a mix of English-Italians, the mechanics are purely Italians, so the atmosphere is already lively.

Be wary of other drivers

For him, it’s impossible to judge a driver from the outside, especially young drivers. He adds that from the outside, even for me, judging a driver is so complicated; it’s a sport that demands so much mental strength that sometimes talent is secondary.

Hadjar explains that the simultaneous arrival of many young drivers in F1 proves that there aren’t enough spots for everyone and that there are many others who have the level for F1. It just means that our generation is strong and that there just isn’t enough room for everyone, that’s mainly it. He mentions Bearman and his standout performances, then Antonelli and his impressive pure speed. I really think against Russell, at least in the qualifying sessions, he’s going to give him a hard time, I really think he’s going to give him a hard time, after Sunday it’s going to be much more complicated naturally but I think in terms of speed he’s going to be strong. Jumping directly from F2 to a big F1 team like Mercedes, Antonelli reminds him a bit of Verstappen. He isn’t too worried about him, as Mercedes has well-prepared him: he estimates that Antonelli has 20 times more kilometers on the counter than he does.

Hadjar has a lot of respect for Lewis Hamilton, whether it is for his personality, what he exudes, or what he does on track.

As for Verstappen, from his point of view, he is very complete in all conditions, in addition to being mentally solid, but on the scale of a race, he thinks that Hamilton is at the same level.

With Romain Monti, Hadjar also talks about an anecdote from his first Free Practice sessions in F1, in Mexico. Hamilton was behind him, both were on an in-lap. Hadjar then asked over the radio: “Can I wait for him to wave?,” but they kindly urged him to move forward instead.

If he had to choose, however, if he had to discuss technique with someone, he would prefer to talk with Adrian Newey, as he thinks he would have more to learn from him.

Objectives for 2025

For his first season, he wants to make an impact and compete against Yuki Tsunoda, take advantage of having a super solid teammate with experience by his side. Hadjar gives himself a good year to be well-prepared, however, he wants to perform immediately: being a true F1 driver is different from performing. Performing means knowing how to extract the maximum from an F1 car. After that, it doesn’t mean not making mistakes, making the right setup choices, but pure speed is what I’m really talking about purely in terms of speed.

If he arrives at Red Bull and Verstappen is still there, he is, of course, apprehensive about comparing himself directly with Max, but I am so curious to have the same car as the best driver in the world and see what he does differently. Does he think he has the potential to become the best himself? Yes, and it is essential for success. Knowing that at present he is not the best, but that he is capable of becoming so. If you ask me “Are you the best in the world?” Right now, no, of course not. But do I think I have the potential to be the best in the world? Then yes, I’ll tell you yes, for sure. If you don’t think like that, I don’t think you can succeed.

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