Biography
Isack Alexandre Hadjar is a French-Algerian Formula One driver born on 28 September 2004 in Paris. He races for Red Bull Racing in Formula One under the French flag. Coming from an Algerian family in Paris, Hadjar started karting at seven, which laid the groundwork for his quick rise through junior racing.
Hadjar's professional journey began with the Ginetta Junior Winter Series in sportscar racing before moving to junior formulas in 2019. He had a breakthrough in 2020, finishing third in the French F4 Championship with the FFSA Academy. In 2021, he moved up to the Formula Regional European Championship, where he showed his skill by winning several races and securing fifth place in his first season. This performance led him to opportunities in both the Formula Regional Asian Championship and FIA Formula 3 in 2022 with Hitech, where he took third place in the Asian Championship and earned multiple wins in both series.
In 2023, Hadjar advanced to FIA Formula 2, a key step towards Formula One. After a year of learning, he excelled in his second Formula 2 season in 2024, finishing as runner-up to Gabriel Bortoleto with Campos Racing. These performances earned him the nickname 'le Petit Prost' in French media, comparing him to four-time Formula One World Champion Alain Prost. This success drew the attention of Red Bull's talent development program.
Hadjar joined the Red Bull Junior Team in 2022, starting his journey with the company’s racing operations. His consistent performance and potential in Formula 2 earned him a Formula One seat with Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri) for the 2025 season. His Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix was memorable due to a crash during the formation lap, but he bounced back with several points finishes during his rookie year, including a podium at the Dutch Grand Prix. His strong debut season led to a promotion to the main Red Bull Racing team in 2026, partnering with Max Verstappen.
Before Fame
Growing up in Paris in an Algerian family, Hadjar got into motorsport early, starting competitive karting at just seven years old. His early years coincided with a great time for French motorsport, with drivers like Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon making a name for themselves in Formula One, inspiring young French drivers.
The journey from karting to Formula One has become more standardized in modern motorsport, with drivers generally moving through established junior categories. Hadjar took this usual path, progressing from karting to sportscars and then to junior formulae, taking advantage of France's strong motorsport setup and the FFSA Academy system that has produced many professional racing drivers.
Key Achievements
- Third place in 2020 French F4 Championship with FFSA Academy
- Runner-up in 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship with Campos Racing
- First Formula One podium at 2025 Dutch Grand Prix
- Promotion to Red Bull Racing alongside Max Verstappen in 2026
- Multiple victories in Formula Regional European Championship and Formula 3
Did You Know?
- 01.Earned the nickname 'le Petit Prost' from French media during his Formula 2 career due to his driving style similarities to Alain Prost
- 02.Crashed on the formation lap during his Formula One debut at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix
- 03.Competed in both Formula Regional Asian Championship and FIA Formula 3 simultaneously in 2022
- 04.His surname 'Hadjar' reflects his Algerian heritage, while he races under the French flag
- 05.Achieved his first Formula One podium at the Dutch Grand Prix during his rookie season in 2025