Hadjar was born on 28 September 2004 in Paris, France. He holds dual French and Algerian citizenship.[2]
Karting
Hadjar was born in Paris in 2004 and started karting in 2015. In the first two years he competed in national championships, and in his final year of karting, Hadjar raced in the CIK-FIA European OK Junior Championship, beating future Red Bull academy teammate Jak Crawford.
Lower formulae
In 2019 Hadjar made his single seater debut in the French F4 Championship.[3] He achieved one race victory at Spa and finished seventh in the standings. The Frenchman then raced in two weekends of the F4 UAE Championship during the winter of 2020 with 3Y Technology, where he scored 56 points, leading to eleventh in the championship.[4] Hadjar then once again drove in the French F4 series. He fared much better than in the previous year, winning three races. After eight further podiums and two pole positions Hadjar finished third in the drivers' standings.
The Frenchman made his debut at the Formula Regional level in 2021, competing in the first three rounds of the F3 Asian Championship with Evans GP.[5] He impressed right from the start, scoring a myriad of podium finishes, which included three podiums in the second round at Yas Marina. Despite not taking part in the latter rounds of the campaign, Hadjar managed to finish sixth in the standings, highest of all part-time entrants.
Hadjar's main campaign would lie in the Formula Regional European Championship, where he partnered Zane Maloney, Léna Bühler and fellow countryman Hadrien David at R-ace GP.[6] The Frenchman scored his first points, along with his first rookie win, at the first round in Imola.[7] He then proceeded to score his first podium at the next event, held in Barcelona, and achieved his first Formula Regional victory in the first race on the streets of Monaco.[8] At that same weekend Hadjar finished second in race two, only behind teammate Maloney, and closed in on the championship lead held by Grégoire Saucy.[9] However, Hadjar would be unable to score a podium finish until the final round of the season, despite amassing a number of finishes in the top six. Following a disappointing round at Mugello where he hadn't scored any points the Frenchman bounced back with a double podium in that final round at Monza, scoring a win in the second race after the leading pair collided.[10] Hadjar ended up fifth in the standings, just four points behind teammate Maloney, and won the honours for the best rookie of the season.
In November 2021 Hadjar drove for Hitech Grand Prix in the FIA Formula 3 post-season test.[12] He would eventually be announced to drive for the team in the 2022 season in January.[13] He started his season out in the best way possible, inheriting victory in the Sakhir sprint race after original winner Oliver Bearman had received a five-second time penalty for track limits infringements.[14] The feature race would be less successful, as Hadjar finished 25th after suffering a puncture caused by contact with Roman Staněk.[15]
Hadjar was invited to test for Hitech Grand Prix at the 2022 F2 post-season test in Yas Marina.[16] In January 2023, Hadjar was announced to be progressing into the 2023 Formula 2 Championship, continuing his relationship with Hitech alongside Jak Crawford.[17]
Hadjar qualified 14th in Bahrain.[18] Hadjar finished the sprint race in 20th after struggling with his tyres [19] but he finished 7th in the feature race after a good drive securing his first points in formula 2.[20] Hadjar followed this weekend up by qualifying 19th for the race in Saudi Arabia.[21] Hadjar would move up the field to finish the sprint in 12th.[22] The feature race would be even better as Hadjar would finish 9th scoring two points.[23]
Hadjar qualified 4th at Formula 2's first visit Albert Park[24] but was given a grid penalty for impeding dropping him to 7th. Hadjar would finish the sprint race in 6th.[25] The feature race however would be disastrous as Hadjar would finish 15th after contact with former F3 rival Oliver Bearman during a pit stop would leave him with a broken front wing and a penalty.[26] Hadjar qualified 18th in Baku.[27] Hadjar would survive the chaos at the end of the race to finish 8th.[28] but he was demoted to 11th for illegally overtaking Jack Doohan during the safety car restart. Hadjar would bounce back by finishing 7th in the feature race after trying an alternative strategy[29]
Hadjar qualified 10th in Monaco meaning he would start the sprint from pole.[30] Hadjar led into turn 1 and held the lead until lap 6 when a mechanical failure ended his race cruelly denying him his first win.[31] Hadjar would finish the feature race 12th ending what was a miserable weekend for the frenchman.[32] Hadjar qualified 20th for the Spain weekend[33] and finished the sprint race in 12th.[34] The Feature race wouldn't be much better as Hadjar finished 20th marking another miserable weekend for him.[35]
Hadjar qualified 21st in Austria.[36] For the sprint race Hadjar gambled by starting on slicks on a drying track, which paid off as he moved from 21st to fourth by the chequered flag just missing out on the podium.[37] However Clement Novalak would be disqualified for tyre pressure infringements promoting Hadjar to third which marked his first podium in F2.,[38] The feature race wouldn't be as successful as Hadjar would finish 12th just missing out on points.[39]
Hadjar qualified 9th at Silverstone.[40] Starting the sprint in P2 Hadjar would fight all race for a podium but would finish in 5th place.[41] The feature race however would be a disaster as a poor strategy choice would lead to a 15th place finish.[42] Hadjar qualified 5th in Hungary.[43] In the sprint Hadjar would hold off championship leader Frederik Vesti to finish 8th,[44] whilst the feature race would lead to a 5th place finish.,[45] which marked the first time Hadjar scored points in both races during the season.
Hadjar qualified 13th Spa.[46] Hadjar would finish the sprint 11th.[47] The feature race however would end in disaster as Hadjar retired by crashing into the pit exit wall which broke his front wing ending his chance for points.[48]
Hadjar qualified 9th at Zandvoort.[49] When sprint pole sitter Theo Pourchaire failed to start the sprint, Hadjar started at the front and led into the first corner but then the race was stopped after his teammate Jak Crawford and the two Campos drivers of Kush Maini and Ralph Boschung had a huge accident into turn 4. The sprint was then abandoned after the rain didn't clear up and with Hadjar in first place the stewards awarded him his first win in the championship(but he was awarded no points as less than two racing laps had been completed).[50] Hadjar finished the feature race in 6th after benefitting from the championships top 6 drivers all having bad races.[51]
Hadjar qualified an impressive 4th for the Monza race.[52] Hadjar finished the sprint 6th but he would slip back to 11th following a penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.[53] The feature race would be the same as Hadjar finished 11th ending a frustrating weekend for the Frenchman.[54] Hadjar qualified 8th for the season finale in Yas Marina.[55] Hadjar got a good start in the sprint and ran second for a few laps until Frederik Vesti passed him dropping him to third. Hadjar would then be passed by Richard Verschoor ending his chance of a podium before he was overtaken by Dennis Hauger on the last lap meaning he finished the sprint 5th.[56] For the feature race Hadjar finished 8th after running on the normal strategy ending a frustrating and disappointing season with his second double points finish of 2023.[57]
Hadjar finished 2023 a disappointing 14th in the drivers championship with 55 points(two points behind Hitech teammate Jak Crawford) with his third place finish in the Austria sprint race being his best result of the season. Hadjar also helped Hitech Pulse-Eight finish 8th in the team's championship. Hadjar drove for Campos Racing in the post season test at Abu Dhabi ending the final day with the fastest time.
Hadjar qualified 2nd for the opening race of the season in Sakhir.[59] Hadjar finished the sprint race in 4th.[60] The feature race however would end in disaster as Hadjar was spun around by Gabriel Bortoleto into the first corner before being collected by Enzo Fittipaldi ending his race.[61]
Hadjar qualified 8th in Jeddah.,[62] The sprint however would end in disaster as Hadjar would be forced to retire on the penultimate lap with an engine issue whilst running 9th.,[63] The feature race wouldn't go any better as Hadjar was forced to retire with another issue whilst running 7th ending what was a miserable weekend for the Frenchman.
Hadjar qualified 8th for the round in Australia.[64] At the start Hadjar tried to pass Roman Staněk but he wedged his teammate Pepe Martí into Invicta Racing's Gabriel Bortoleto and whilst he continued and took the lead into the first corner, Marti and Bortoleto were out of the race. Hadjar then dominated the sprint after another safety car to win his first race in F2.[65] However Hadjar was judged to have caused the incident with his teammate and Bortoleto so he was given a 10 second time penalty dropping him to 6th place.[66]
Hadjar ran 8th at the start of the feature race but pitted under a safety car from Dennis Hauger's crash which allowed him to come out ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli in 7th. Hadjar then passed Taylor Barnard, Enzo Fittipaldi and Roman Stanek to move into third place before Jak Crawford and Kush Maini pitted handing Hadjar the lead. He would then hold off Paul Aron to win the feature race and this time it counted which marked Hadjar's first win in Formula 2.[67] Hadjar left Melbourne sitting 4th in the championship on 34 points, 28 points behind leader Zane Maloney.
Hadjar qualified 3rd for the round in Imola but was involved in a multi car collision at the start of the sprint after being spun around by Roman Stanek causing him to hit Joshua Dürksen leading to his retirement. Hadjar would bounce back by winning the feature race the next day by holding off Gabriel Bortoleto to take his 2nd win in F2. Hadjar would then qualify third in Monaco and finished the sprint race in 8th taking a point. In the feature race Hadjar would inherit the lead when pole sitter Richard Verschoor retired but Hadjar would finish 2nd after a VSC by Joshua Durksen and Zane Maloney colliding allowed Zak O'Sullivan to make his mandatory pit stop and jump Hadjar with 1 lap left which denied Hadjar a 3rd consecutive feature race win.
Hadjar's good run of form was stopped as he qualified 11th for the Barcelona Round but finished the sprint 6th and the feature race 5th. Hadjar then qualified 7th in Austria and finished the sprint 13th but would finish the feature race in 3rd after a long team orders row with teammate Pepe Martí over the final podium place.
Hadjar took his first F2 pole position for the round in Silverstone. The sprint would go badly as Hadjar would retire from the race after spinning out at Copse corner on lap 8 but he would bounce back by winning the feature race the next day even though he inherited the win after original winner Jak Crawford was penalised for an unsafe release. The win gave Hadjar the lead of the drivers championship for the first time that season. Hadjar would then qualify 3rd for the round in Hungary. He would finish the sprint in 4th but would inherit 3rd place and the fastest lap point when Richard Verschoor was disqualified for his plank being too worn. The feature race however would go awfully as Hadjar would be forced to start from the pit lane as he failed to make it out of the pit lane in time for his reconnaissance lap meaning he finished the race in 18th.
Hadjar qualified 3rd for the round in Belgium and finished the shortened sprint in 9th. For the feature race however Hadjar would take the lead on lap 8 and after pitting he would hold off title rival Gabriel Bortoleto to take his 4th win of the season and due to his other closest rival Paul Aron retiring on the last lap it left Hadjar with a 36 point lead over Bortoleto going into the summer break. However Hadjar would fail to score any points at the next round in Monza and with Bortoleto winning the feature race he cut Hadjar's lead to 10.5 points with 3 rounds left reigniting the championship battle.
Hadjar returned to Formula 3 to participate in the 2023 Macau Grand Prix with Hitech Pulse-Eight for the final edition of the FIA Formula 3 World Cup. He would qualify 4th for the Qualification Race. He would finish 9th and 7th in the Qualification Race and Main Race respectively.[68]
Hadjar made his free practice debut at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix with Scuderia AlphaTauri, to fulfill the mandatory rookie driver rule.[70] Before the weekend, Hadjar admitted that he felt "apprehension", having not driven a Formula One car prior.[71] He ended the session in 17th place, second highest of the five rookies who participated.[72] He then drove for Red Bull during the Abu Dhabi practice, finishing the session in 17th again.[73][74]
In July 2024, Hadjar would take part in his first FP1 session of the year at the British Grand Prix with Red Bull, ending the session in 19th.[75][76]
In September 2024, Hadjar was promoted to replace Liam Lawson as the reserve driver for both Red Bull Racing and VISA Cash App RB (previously known as AlphaTauri).[77][78]
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