Hadjar revels in old-school car and fan adoration
- Last updated: May 10, 2026 | 10:17
For rising Formula One star Isack Hadjar Saturday's "historic" race at the Paul Ricard Circuit offered a double treat: a chance to bask in the love of French fans and to drive a traditional 'noisy' Formula One car.
The 21-year-old Parisian has aligned himself with the anti camp this season as the Formula One paddock grumbles about new hybrid engines that use 50 per cent petrol and 50 per cent electric power.
On Saturday, Hadjar drove a 2011 Formula One car with an internal combustion engine at this nostalgic and popular event at a hstoric circuit in the south of France.
The day featured drivers of all ages, primarily French, including Alain Prost, who is 71, and Jacques Laffite, 82, as well as current drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.
Hadjer told AFP that he was hopeful after the sport's governing body, the FIA, on Friday made further concessions to restore internal combustion as the dominant source of powere in F1 cars by next season.
"It's a step in the right direction because nobody likes what we started with," he said.
Hadjar called for "solutions to improve the problem, not make it worse".
He has been siding with Max Verstappen, who threatened to leave F1 and compared this season's cars to "Formula E (electric) on steroids", and to the video game Mario Kart.
Not all drivers agree. Seven-time British world champion Lewis Hamilton said he was having a lot of fun.
Hadjer said he likes driving as fast as possible in a straight line before hitting the brakes for corners.
"That's my vision of driving," he said. "Whether it's electric or noisy as long as I reach my top speed before braking, that's what a race car is all about!"
On Saturday, each driver spent 15 minutes at the wheel of an F1 car from the 1970s to the 2000s.
Hadjar drove a Red Bull with a naturally aspirated eight-cylinder Renault engine, the same car in which four-time German world champion Sebastian Vettel won 11 of the 19 Grands Prix 15 years ago.
"The car is light, there's much less downforce. It's a completely different experience. It brakes incredibly hard and the sound is amazing," he said.
Hadjar was clearly delighted to experience his popularity in France in front of tens of thousands of spectators, shouting themselves hoarse with cries of "Isack, Isack, Isack!!"
Hadjar is 13th in this year's Formula One standings in his first season with Red Bull, but is optimistic that he can contend by next season.
"By the end of the year, we'll have a car that will have made significant progress. And next year, we'll start a season with a car that can win races. I'll be there, that's for sure!"
Agence France-Presse