After months of speculation, the announcement has arrived. Sergio Perez will no longer be a driver Red Bull and he will be replaced by New Zealander Liam Lawson, who will move from VCARB to the "mother" team. The question therefore arises spontaneously, "Who will be the new Racing Bulls driver?", There response it has finally arrived: it will be up to Isaac Hadjar the task of wearing the colors of the Faenza team.
Hadjar: from karts to single-seater debut
Isaac Alexandre Hadjar was born on September 28, 2004 in the city that since the 2012th century has been called the Ville Lumière: Paris. Although he races under the blue, blanc and rouge flags, the young driver has both French and Algerian nationality. Isack first stepped on the accelerator of a kart in 2015. Between 2017 and XNUMX Hadjar took part in the National Championships and only in his last year driving a kart he takes part in the CIK-FIA European OK Junior Championship.
In 2019, the future Racing Bulls driver made his debut on a single-seater. He made his debut in French Formula 4 and conquers his first victory in the category on the circuit of Spa-Francorchamps. Hadjar closes his first season on the so-called “single-seater” in seventh place in the drivers’ standings. The following winter the youngster takes to the track in two weekends of F4 UAE ChampionshipHe gets a total of 56 points which earn him eleventh place. Isack then returns to drive in French F4, but this time he puts his signature on the victory of three races, climbs onto the podium in eight occasions and manages to conquer two pole positions, closing the season third.
The adventure in Formula Regional and F3
The French driver takes part in the first three rounds of the Championship Asian Formula 3 with Evans GP. From his debut he showed his driving skills, obtaining a myriad of podiums – 3 in the first weekend alone on the Yas Marina circuit. Despite not having raced in the last three events, Hadjar closes in sixth position in the final ranking. After this adventure, another one begins for Isack in Formula Regional European Championship with R-ace GP. The first victory in the category arrives on the streets of Principality of Monaco, in Monza instead – in addition to the double podium – he crossed the finish line first in race 2. Isack arrives fifth at the end of the season, obtaining the recognition of best rookie.
It is summoned by Hitech GP for the 2021 post-season tests and was chosen by the English team to be a full-time driver for the coming year. Isack Hadjar started his F3 season with a bang, inheriting the Bahrain Sprint win by someone who has already taken to the track in an F1 single-seater and will be on the grid with him next year: Oliver Bearman. The Frenchman got on the highest step of the podium also in the first race on the circuit of Silverstone and in Spielberg's Feature Race – on this last occasion he also took home the additional points for the pole position and the one for the fastest lap. Hadjar returned to the podium in Budapest before the end of the F3 season which finished in fourth place with 123 points.
The first year in Formula 2
Following his results in the junior category, Hitech has signed the youngster for the post-season Formula 2 tests. In January, the team announced that Hadjar would complete the line-up, alongside Jak Crawford. That of 2023 it was a season of ups and downs, with Isack managing to climb on the podium for the first time in Austria, after starting from 21st place. His first victory in the category it arrived in a way unusual. In the Sprint of Zandvoort, Hadjar started second but took the lead of the race after the problems of Pourchaire. An accident interrupted the race, the restart of which was made impossible by the pouring rain. The Frenchman was rewarded for a “moral” victory, no points were awarded because less than 2 laps were run.
The fight for the title
The season ends with the future RB driver in 14th position in the drivers' standings with 55 points. For 2024, Isack moves to Campos Racing with the rookie Pepe Martì but the start does not go as hoped: in fact he remains without points for two rounds. Melbourne takes Sprint win, but the penalty given to him for causing an accident makes him lose it. The next day Hadjar redeems himself and takes his first actual victory of the season. A series of podiums follows which includes the Victory in the Imola Feature, second place in Monaco and a third in Spielberg. Isack gets his first pole position in this category at Silverstone. Although the English Sprint goes badly, on Sunday he inherits the victory.
With this first place the Frenchman establishes himself as leader of the drivers' standings. In Hungary he conquers third place in the Sprint, while in Spa he wins the long race. Hadjar remains without points for the Baku and Monza rounds. In Qatar instead he gets a fourth and a second place which allow him to get closer to his direct opponent for the title Bortoleto. The Frenchman shows up at the final appointment of the season with only half a point away from the Invicta driver. After the Sprint, the Brazilian's advantage reaches 3,5 and everything will be decided in the Feature. One Stall at the start condemns him to second place of the drivers' standings.
Who is RB driver Isack Hadjar?
From Friday 20 December Isack Hadjar is officially a driver for the Racing Bulls team. The Frenchman is no stranger to the Red Bull environment, having joined the team in 2021 as a member of the Junior Academy, while since September this year he has been a reserve driver for both teams following Lawson's promotion. Isack he has already driven a single-seater F1 in 2023 in the first free practice session of the Mexican GP and those of Abu Dhabi.
In July this year he took part in FP1 at Silverstone with the Milton Keynes team. In Abu Dhabi Isack had the chance to put himself behind the wheel of the RB20 with which Max Verstappen won – a few weeks earlier – his fourth world title. After Checo Perez's exit and his replacement with Lawson, a question was hanging in the air "who is a VCARB pilot?”, the answer was finally given: Isaac Hadjar.
