Pioneering Isack Hadjar flies two flags as the only Arab in Formula One
Hadjar, who was at the time a bigger fan of Prost's late teammate and rival Ayrton Senna, grimaced and said the reason was more mundane.
'I was just chewing my fingernails and he said 'Yeah, like Prost',' he recalled. 'He told me this. Like Prost. That's all. It's that simple.'
'I don't mind. Prost is a legend. It was Ayrton as a kid but the more I'm growing up, the more I appreciate Alain actually. When you are a kid you just think about speed and bright colours. You see Ayrton Senna and it's like 'Oh, amazing'. And then later on Lewis (Hamilton).'
Hadjar felt Prost, the tactically astute 'Professor' who retired in 1993 after winning titles with McLaren and Williams, deserved more recognition.
'I just think that his career is really underrated,' he said.
'I'm not going to self-proclaim myself as a smart guy but definitely I have the approach that my dad always wanted me to use my head first ... just thinking when you drive and making the difference outside the car.'
Growing up, Hadjar's interest was pricked by the movie Cars and watching F1 with father Yassine, a senior researcher in quantum mechanics.
He started karting at seven and was runner-up in Formula Two last season, a frustrating campaign in which he sounded like an angry young man venting over the radio.
Hadjar said that was then.
'You play with the limits of what's allowed,' he said.
'In Formula Two you are a client to the team and you're playing your life here. You want to go to Formula One, the team messes up, you're mad at them on the radio and you say what you think.
'Here, it's completely different. You get paid to drive. It's the coolest job on earth, you don't shout at people. It's not possible.
'If I want to shout, I shout in my helmet. That's what I do. I don't press the radio button to say nonsense.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
13 hours ago
- The Citizen
Local rower local rower talks about winning silver at the Student World Games
If you can believe the internet, there are a lot of things that can happen in a second. It is estimated that 4.3 babies are born every second and 1.8 people die every second. There are also more than 2.4 million emails sent in a second. In sports, a second can mean the difference between winning and losing. On the last day of the recent World Student Games in Rhine-Ruhr, it was Katherine Williams and Courtney Westley who lost out by a mere second in the women's pair rowing final. The result does not mean that the Tuks pairing is feeling down and out. They are proud of the way the race played out. And rightly so. Over the 2000 metres, they proved that there is truth in the saying that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. After the first 1000 metres of the race, the Tuks pairing were 4.80 seconds behind the Lithuanians, who took the lead right from the start. Over the next 500 metres, the lead increased by another 0.02 seconds. Over the last 500 metres, the real race started as Williams and Westley began to gain on the Lithuanians stroke by stroke. In the end, Ugne Jazenaite and Kamile Kralikaite pipped the South Africans by a mere 1.01 seconds. 'The race was definitely the best of the regatta. We had things we needed to work on from both the heat and the semi. I feel we executed these things very well in the final, and it paid off,' said Williams. According to Williams, they wanted to chase gold. So, after the 1000 metres, they checked to see what moves they had to make. 'It felt good to see that there were four boats behind us. Once we crossed the line, I was thrilled. It was gratifying to have such a great race, resulting in us winning silver. The medal means a lot to us. I needed it. We both did. It has been a tough few months, but I think the medal shows how hard work and dedication take care of the rest. We let our rowing do the talking,' she remarked. Asked to explain the role of each one in the boat, Williams said, she set up the rhythm in the stroke seat, and Westley supplies power and supports her from the bow. 'But we are both very different. 'Courts' brings a calm, collected, and calculated approach to the boat, which she excels at. I bring more of an aggressive, balls-to-the-wall energy to the boat. We need both. It is what makes us work,' she commented. According to Williams, winning the silver medal was a total team effort. 'We have had the most fantastic team with AJ Grant, our crew coach, Thato Mokoena, our Tuks head coach, and Roger Barrow, our advisor and mentor. As well as the medical team behind us. Tuks has been amazing. We are both so grateful and proud to be a part of the family that is Tuks and the rowing club,' she explained. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
TimesLIVE
20 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
2026 McLaren F1 car to be sold at auction before first race
Champions McLaren claimed a first on Thursday by announcing the auction of one of their 2026 Formula One cars before it has even been raced. The F1 car, which will be driven by Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris, is one of a trio of future chassis offered by McLaren in the December 5 sale organised by RM Sotheby's ahead of this year's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The other two are a 2026 Arrow McLaren Indycar, to be raced at the Indianapolis 500 next May by Mexican Pato O'Ward, and McLaren's inaugural 2027 World Endurance Hypercar that will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McLaren CEO Zak Brown said the auction would be the first time a future Formula One car had been sold before it had been unveiled to the public. The as-yet unnamed 2026 car, likely to be the MCL40 after this year's MCL39, will be the team's first for a new era in Formula One with a big change in technical and engine regulations. The successful bidder will have to wait until 2028 to take delivery, with a 2025 show car offered on lease until then to the buyer who will also have behind the scenes access to the team and events. The other cars will be delivered after the respective series have ended. McLaren are the only team to have won the 'Triple Crown' of the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans and will try to add to their success when they return to endurance racing in 2027.
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Williams keeps feet grounded ahead of Springboks' Rugby Championship opener
Grant Williams will start at scrumhalf as the Springboks face Australia in their Rugby Championship opener at Ellis Park. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams is refusing to get carried away after being given the nod to start in the side's opening Rugby Championship match against Australia at Ellis Park on Saturday, with Cobus Reinach providing back-up on the bench. Morne van den Berg could consider himself unlucky to miss out, given the Lions player's standout performances in back-to-back Tests against Italy in the recent Incoming Series. The Boks also boast the talents and vast experience of Faf de Klerk and Williams' Sharks teammate, Jaden Hendrikse. Williams impressed in the second Test against Italy, combining well with flyhalf Manie Libbok, having recovered from a neck injury. They will again renew their burgeoning half-back partnership in a very attacking backline on Saturday. Damian Willemse will provide flyhalf cover. Asked whether he felt he was now in a position to make the Springbok No 9 jersey his own, Williams was diplomatic. 'We have a really good squad – Cobus, Morne, Faf, and Jaden as well. I think selection is just about how we want to play in the week. I can't really say that I want to make the No 9 jersey mine, but I would like to compete,' said Williams. Coach Rassie Erasmus reiterated that the jersey was a 'shared one'. 'I think we're really trying to build a culture where it's all three's jersey and hopefully just in the World Cup quarter-final, semi-final, and final we'll pick the best nine in form,' Williams said. 'Faf is not at all out of the picture and Jaden is not out of the picture. We know we normally carry four nines but, just for the sake of repetition and getting some one-on-one intel into players, we cut the squad a little bit. 'We know if you don't go four positions deep, maybe suddenly in one game you get two injuries in one position. So, they're competing and they don't want to just give the jersey away, but they also understand that we will rotate. He (Williams) got the nod in a very important match. The way we want to play in this game, we feel he is the best option there. But I think this squad has accepted now that we have to share jerseys and not say this guy is out-and-out the best.' Erasmus has named a strong team to face Australia, with the matchday squad featuring 18 Rugby World Cup winners. The Springboks will be hunting their fifth successive victory against the Wallabies.
