Isack Hadjar dominates F2, capturing the lead and stirring talks of an F1 ascent under Helmut Marko’s watchful eye.
Isack Hadjar, the French F2 driver for the Red Bull Junior Team, assumed the championship lead last month and is on a promising trajectory to conclude the season on a high note.
Hadjar is increasingly mentioned by Dr. Helmut Marko as a future F1 contender, though he is not the favourite to join the sport by 2025. Should Daniel Ricciardo be sidelined, it is likely that Liam Lawson would step up. But, who can say for certain?
Speaking to the Red Bulletin, Red Bull’s dedicated sports magazine, Hadjar reflected on a particularly eventful recent few weeks, starting with his victory at Silverstone where he took the championship lead. Was it thrilling?
“When I win, I’m not immediately aware of the championship standings. In F2, the rankings can fluctuate rapidly. It’s gratifying to see one’s name at the top; we’re leading the team championship, which is fantastic. I’m pleased with my victory, the work I’ve done, and it reassures me for the future, boosting my confidence. But honestly, as long as the championship isn’t decided, I don’t pay much attention to the standings. It’s session by session.”
“In fact, I am so in tune with my environment that I know exactly what I need to do, where I need to focus… In the car, you might be in your cockpit, but you can still form a clear picture of the race and its dynamics. I believe that’s where I excel on Sundays: I am aware of what’s happening around me, when a competitor has pitted, whether they have better tyres than me, if they are conserving resources, or if they are on a different strategy… I know all this because I have mastered my craft.”
Hadjar secured his first pole position of the season only in July, yet he is already regarded as a resilient driver, regardless of whether he starts from the pole or not.
“Over the past three years, I’ve achieved two poles, but I’ve won several races, and most of my victories have come from behind, in championships where overtaking is challenging and victories often depend on starting from the pole. Thus, I have this reputation as a front-runner, which is nice, I enjoy it.”
Thirteen years separate Hadjar from his karting days in Seine-Saint-Denis.
“I don’t remember what I thought about motorsport back then. In fact, I’m not sure if I always wanted to go into F1 or not, or if I was just doing it for fun. I can’t recall when it got serious. And that’s a pity.”
Regrets? But could this detachment also be a good way to move forward?
“Formula 1 was always a given, so I never really thought about it; I never had that kind of epiphany because it was natural. For me, it was always normal to have a steering wheel in my hands and just go for it. Back then, I barely watched F1; I was a fan of Cars, actually…”
“I watched the movie every day, and I still have my Cars soft toy at home. I loved cars, and later, I saw the documentary on Ayrton Senna. And then, I was struck by the person, the charisma he exuded. When you see him in his car with the yellow helmet, and every time he was on track, he was spectacular compared to other drivers. He left a mark on me.”
About ten years later, at around 16, in an interview for an online media, he already appears very forthright and clear-headed, particularly about financing a racing career. He discusses the support from his mother in securing funding. Pierre Gasly also spoke of this quest for funding that his parents were involved in…
“We faced the same issues. From karting, the prices are exorbitant, and since Pierre Gasly’s generation, the costs in motor racing have skyrocketed. In karting, I was never in the right conditions; it was always my father who did my mechanics, for a very long time, while other drivers had private teams. I could never complete the full calendar, all the races, have the best engine, etc. I always had to compensate, it was frustrating when I returned from a race, the next day I had to go back to school while other guys would go out driving, testing because they were homeschooled. I didn’t have that kind of journey… I don’t have very fond memories of karting.”
“We never chased titles in karting. My father always had this approach: ‘You’re here to learn, not because winning karting titles means you’ll be a Formula 1 world champion.’ As a kid, it’s naturally hard to grasp that; you’re thinking: ‘Give me the engine, give me the track days, and I’ll show them!’ You struggle to realize what’s truly important. In reality, karting is crucial for learning the basics, but all the guys I’m currently outperforming in F2, and whom I also outpaced in F3, are those who used to dominate me in karting.”
“Yes, we all grew up together, we’ve known each other since those days. It’s only now that I understand, but when you’re young and getting thrashed in karting due to lack of resources, it’s tough. However, it pushes you to develop a different approach: how can I compensate? How do I strive to stay in the game and perform?”
“All this is poorly done… If motorsport were as accessible as football, the F1 grid wouldn’t look like it does today.”
Would there be more French drivers?
“There would be more of everything. Especially better drivers. We’re not maximizing the talent on the F1 grid.”
Is a driver like Hamilton proof that a different type of F1 driver has a place on the grid? Was he the first sign of change?
“No, it’s just that he’s extraordinary and made a difference in a flawed system, that’s all. I think that’s the strength of this guy. He’s a good person, it’s obvious.”
Now, the support comes from the Red Bull Junior Team.
“That takes us to another dimension! What I loved about joining the Red Bull Junior Team was this sense of ‘finally!’: if I get the results, if I win and it’s clear I’m performing, I’ll go where I want. That’s for sure, it’s written in black and white. That’s what’s most important, that security and that perspective. For years, you’re wandering in a desert, not really knowing where you’re going, and when Red Bull signs you, if you perform in F3 and F2, you know where you’re headed, and that’s priceless. It’s the most reassuring thing for a driver, for any athlete. When it all depends only on you, there’s nothing better. Of course, it’s not just that; you also need to be in the right team, drive well, and anything can happen, but you have a real perspective.”
How are things with Dr. Marko? Quite well, according to Hadjar.
“Yes. I call him sometimes. He always answers, and if he doesn’t, he calls back. I get along well with him, and when I call, it’s not to talk nonsense. (laughs) Sometimes, when you mess up, it’s better to anticipate and call him before he calls you. I’ve learned that he appreciates this, it makes him more relaxed.”
Isack Hadjar in F1 next year with Visa Cash APP RB? Is that realistic?
“To start with, I really don’t know. But if the Junior Team and the B team (RB F1, editor’s note) exist, it’s for a reason. And then you can clearly see what’s happening right now, the driver market is very active. But the only thing I can do is show up every weekend and outshine them. I need to be talked about, I need to be in the conversation as Isack who is taking them down. That’s all I can do, and that suits me.”
What should one prepare for when moving to drive an F1 car?
“Throughout your career, as a young driver, ideally, you adapt to different categories step by step. You gradually improve this adaptability, and every year, you get used to having more grip, whether in karting or in single-seaters. More grip, more power, more grip, more power, and so on. You move up from F4 to F3, F2, the steps are quite similar, and they transition well, always with an initial shock. But moving from F2 to F1, it’s like jumping from F4 to F2, it’s a big step. F1 cars really fly and F2s are quite behind. When I say you’re not ready, you’re not ready. When I get into an F1 for FP1 (Free Practice 1, trials, editor’s note), the first laps, it’s nothing like F2. Everything I’ve learned in F2, do I throw it in the bin? It’s no longer a racing car, it’s a spaceship!”
So, stepping up to F1 must be a stressful prospect? Or, speaking with drivers who’ve been through it, do you know it will be manageable soon?
“You know it, but you always have that doubt. But to really test the limits of the car, you need to do quite a few kilometers. In just a few laps in EL1, I already know exactly where I was good and where I have a lot of margin (Isack has participated in F1 free practice sessions three times, editor’s note). If you give me some laps, I’ll get used to it.”
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