The Rise of the Young Racing Bulls Driver

In a heartwarming tale that began with a Disney Pixar classic, the French-Algerian prodigy, known as Le Petit Prost, embarked on an extraordinary journey to the pinnacle of motorsport. His love for racing was ignited at just two years old, watching Cars at home, and his career has been a whirlwind ever since.

The Spark from Pixar

It was just watching the movie Cars at home,” Hadjar reminisced about the moment he fell in love with motorsport. “I remember the moment we bought the DVD. It’s crazy that I can remember that! And after that, I started watching Formula 1 on TV.

By the age of six, Hadjar was already racing go-karts, and by eight, he was competing at a national level. His early years in karting were filled with joy and success, but as he progressed, things became more challenging.

The Struggles and Triumphs

When we went to the national championships and higher up the ranks, it became really frustrating, because I didn’t have the resources nor the package to go fast,” Hadjar admitted. “But my parents were more focused on my studies than anything else.

Despite the setbacks, Hadjar never lost his passion for racing. He found a kindred spirit in Sami Meguetounif, with whom he shared many battles in the national championships. The friendship between the two has endured for over ten years and continues to this day.

A New Beginning

Hadjar’s career took off when he switched to cars, scoring wins in French F4 before moving up to the Formula Regional European Championship in 2021 with R-ace GP. His breakthrough moment came in Monaco, where he won a race from pole position, earning him a phone call from Helmut Marko and Red Bull.

With Red Bull’s support, Hadjar stepped up to F3 in 2022, winning races and finishing fourth in the standings. He was promoted to Formula 2 for the following year, where he had Friday practice sessions in F1 for AlphaTauri and Red Bull.

The Road Ahead

In 2024, Hadjar won four feature races and went into the final round in Abu Dhabi with a shot at the title – only to stall at the start of the race. Although it was a disappointing end to the season, he remained optimistic about his future in Formula 1.

Hadjar has grown significantly as a driver since joining Red Bull’s junior team, working closely with Guillaume ‘Rocky’ Rocquelin, Sebastian Vettel’s former engineer at Red Bull. Their relationship is built on mutual trust and open communication, with no Monday morning calls from Helmut Marko after each race weekend.

Le Petit Prost carries the nickname given to him by Helmut Marko, due to his nail-biting habit reminiscent of Alain Prost’s. He is proud to bear the name of a legend and hopes that it does not upset the four-time world champion.