Isack Hadjar, one of the five rookies this Formula 1 season, has quickly adapted to the sport. During the qualifying round for the Grand Prix of Japan, the Racing Bulls driver learned a crucial lesson in the premier class of motorsport when he experienced discomfort in a ‘sensitive’ area, which almost cost him dearly.
The Formula 1 season is only four races old, but with multiple top ten qualifying results and an eighth place finish at the Grand Prix of Japan, Isack Hadjar has already demonstrated his potential. During the press conference in Jeddah, he is asked about the most important lesson he has learned so far. “Make sure the belts are tight,” he responds immediately. “Not too tight?” the interviewer asks. “Yes, not too tight,” Hadjar replies. The Racing Bulls driver continues, “And pay attention to the white lines. Things like that. It’s all in the details.”
Hadjar speaks from experience, as the qualifying round for the Grand Prix of Japan was not without its challenges for the French-Algerian driver. His safety belt was not properly positioned between his legs, causing discomfort in a ‘sensitive area’, as he tactfully put it. “I realized it in the third turn and thought: ‘Okay, this is not going well’, and then I almost crashed,” he told Sky Sports at the time. “It was a nightmare, but I just pushed through. I’m really proud of myself, the lap I drove in Q1, considering what I was dealing with, was incredible.”
Rookies in the Spotlight
The Frenchman was also asked about his experience sharing the track with so many rookies. This season, Formula 1 has seen a notable influx of new faces. The very young Andrea Kimi Antonelli has taken over the seat at Mercedes from none other than seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Haas has undergone a rejuvenation with the arrival of Oliver Bearman. Jack Doohan is the new teammate of Pierre Gasly at Alpine. Sauber has secured a major talent with Gabriel Bortoleto, a world champion in both Formula 2 and Formula 3. And then there’s Liam Lawson, for whom this is his first full season in Formula 1. “For me, it’s nice to have five other rookies on the grid because of the atmosphere. I’ve known most of them since karting, and when you encounter them on the track, you know what to expect because you already have experience with them from the lower classes. It’s certainly much better than if I were the only rookie on the grid, that’s for sure.”
