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'It's Useful': Isack Hadjar Views Laurent Mekies' Red Bull Move As Boost For His F1 Career

'It's Useful': Isack Hadjar Views Laurent Mekies' Red Bull Move As Boost For His F1 Career

News1824-07-2025
Curated By : Siddarth Sriram
News18.com
Last Updated: July 24, 2025, 21:34 IST
Mekies with Hadjar at Racing Bulls (X)
Isack Hadjar welcomed the recent promotion of Laurent Mekies from Racing Bulls team principal to Red Bull Racing, calling the move potentially 'useful" for his own Formula One aspirations.
The 20-year-old French rookie, currently one of the top prospects to partner four-time world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull, could benefit from the reshuffle—particularly as Yuki Tsunoda continues to struggle following his step up from Racing Bulls.
'Familiarity Helps," Says Hadjar
'If I had to work with him (Mekies), it would be easier, that's for sure. It would sound more familiar," Hadjar told reporters on Thursday ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, when asked whether his fellow Frenchman's move might work in his favour.
'I can't hide it—it's useful, for sure. But we'll see. There are 12 more races, so I need to keep pushing. You're only as good as your last race."
Reaction to Horner's Exit and Permane's Arrival
Hadjar was at the Red Bull simulator when he learned of Christian Horner's shock dismissal on July 9. Alan Permane has since taken over Mekies' role at Racing Bulls.
'It doesn't really change much for me at the moment," said Hadjar. 'Alan is someone I know really well already. He's always quiet, you don't see him often, but he's been a big part of the team."
He praised Mekies' legacy: 'Laurent has built something very solid over the last two years, and now Alan is just carrying that forward. It doesn't change anything for the team or my approach."
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Performance So Far in 2025 Season
Hadjar has shown flashes of promise in his rookie season, collecting 21 points across 12 races. His best finish so far was sixth place in Monaco, a result that underscored his potential as a future Red Bull driver. Siddarth Sriram
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term... Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term... Read More News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments News sports 'It's Useful': Isack Hadjar Views Laurent Mekies' Red Bull Move As Boost For His F1 Career Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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Recharged and revitalised — Nikhat Zareen 2.0
Recharged and revitalised — Nikhat Zareen 2.0

The Hindu

time6 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Recharged and revitalised — Nikhat Zareen 2.0

'Hyderabad is known for two things: the delicious biryani and its very own boxing ki rani.' Nikhat Zareen's wit, which is as sharp as her punches, was in full flow at an event in Hyderabad recently when she one-upped the emcee with a quick lesson in how to work on his introductions. And yet, in that quip, was also an indication of how Nikhat views herself and a gentle reminder to everyone that her self-confidence, which had taken a beating a year ago in Paris, has been rebuilt. Last year, having exited the Paris Olympics much earlier than expected, Nikhat was understandably distraught. Time has passed and this Nikhat is wiser and kinder to herself. 'There are a lot of things that have happened in the past. I don't want to focus on negatives. I just want to focus on the positive things that I have learned from Paris. It was a memorable competition for me. Not everyone gets the chance to represent India at the Olympics. I count myself lucky that at least I had the opportunity to go to the Olympics,' she said in a chat with The Hindu. Not written in the stars If the Paris Olympics taught Nikhat anything, it is that there are many more factors beyond hard work and self-belief that contribute to clinching an Olympic medal. 'Paris was my first experience at the Olympics. I used to hear a lot about the Olympics from my seniors, about how it is not an easy event, how winning other competitions is easier. It's not easy because once you go there, there are a lot of expectations from you and a lot of pressure from everyone,' she said. 'But when I went to the Olympics, what I experienced is that it's not just about working hard and having that belief in you that you can win medals. Sometimes it's also about destiny, it's also about luck. Sometimes that also matters a lot in your journey.' When she landed in the French capital, Nikhat had her eyes on two boxers: China's Wu Yu and Turkey's Buse Naz Cakiroglu. 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'But once I enter the ring, my mind will be set only on winning that match and the competition.' Nikhat forced her way onto the scene as a teenager, taking a circuitous route to the top, via stardom at the sub-junior nationals and Youth World Championships and ostracism for daring to challenge the legendary Mary Kom. She remained undeterred then and is even more resolute now. Amidst all the doubters and critics, she cuts a very confident figure, like a lone show of human will in the path of history. 'I'm still that Nikhat Zareen who has that hunger to achieve and make the country proud. 'I'm happy that I'm finally back in the national team. Now the focus is on winning the medal.'

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina faces hateful abuse after Canada Open loss, blames 'shameful' bettors
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina faces hateful abuse after Canada Open loss, blames 'shameful' bettors

The Hindu

time8 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina faces hateful abuse after Canada Open loss, blames 'shameful' bettors

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina has spoken out about the deluge of hateful abuse she received online from frustrated gamblers after losing a match at the Canada Open, including messages wishing her death and celebrating Russia killing her compatriots. Following her straight-sets loss to Naomi Osaka in the quarterfinals of the National Bank Open on Tuesday night, Svitolina posted screenshots of the messages on Instagram. The abuse was directed at her, while other racial slurs also targeted her husband, the French tennis player Gael Monfils, who is Black. One abuser hoped that Russia 'kills all you (expletive) Ukrainians' in the war raging in Svitolina's country. ALSO READ | Osaka powers into semifinals in Montreal; Tauson beats Keys 'To all the bettors: I'm a mum before I'm an athlete,' Svitolina wrote in her Instagram story. 'The way you talk to women — to mothers — is SHAMEFUL. If your mothers saw your messages, they'd be disgusted.' Earlier this year, British player Katie Boulter said she received death threats during the French Open targeting her and her family, while the WTA and ITF called on betting companies to do more to stem the flood of online abuse players face on social media. Boulter told the BBC in an interview that online abuse has become the norm and that she thinks many of the messages are sent by people who are placing bets on tennis matches. Her comments coincided with the WTA and ITF publishing a first season-wide report into online abuse, showing that 458 tennis players were targeted by more than 8,000 abusive comments and posts on social media in 2024. The report said 40 per cent of the abuse came from 'angry gamblers.'

Alpine's Franco Colapinto Arises Unscathed From Terrifying High-Speed Crash During Testing: WATCH
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time9 hours ago

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Last Updated: Franco Colapinto crashed during Pirelli tyre testing at Hungaroring but was uninjured. The Alpine driver, struggling this season, replaced Paul Aron for the test. Argentine Formula One driver Franco Colapinto was involved in a high-speed crash during a Pirelli tyre test at the Hungaroring on Wednesday, but was reported uninjured after undergoing medical evaluation. The 22-year-old, currently driving for Alpine, crashed at Turn 11, a fast right-hand corner typically taken at 220 km/h, during the second and final day of post-race testing at the venue that hosted last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. 🚨 Franco #Colapinto sufrió un accidente en HungríaDurante las pruebas de Pirelli en el Hungaroring, se despistó en la curva 11. Fue atendido por el centro médico y ya se encuentra bien.📍 Revisado, sin lesiones. En la imagen, se lo ve regresando al hospitality. — Gonnet Digital (@MagazineGonnet) August 6, 2025 Alpine Confirms Incident, Colapinto 'OK" In a statement released shortly after the incident, Alpine confirmed the crash and reassured that Colapinto was unharmed: 'Franco was assessed on site at the medical centre and is OK," the team said. Team UpdateDuring Day 2 of Pirelli Tyre Testing at the Hungaroring this morning, Franco Colapinto had an incident at Turn 11. Franco was assessed on site at the medical centre and is OK. — BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) August 6, 2025 The French outfit, owned by Renault, did not provide specific details regarding the cause of the crash or the extent of damage to the car. The incident occurred during a two-day test organized by Pirelli, with Alpine, Ferrari, McLaren, and Racing Bulls all participating as part of preparations for future tyre developments. Colapinto's Struggles Continue Amid Pressure Colapinto was handed driving duties for the second day of the test, replacing reserve driver Paul Aron. The young Argentine joined Alpine earlier this season, replacing Australian Jack Doohan after the first six races. However, his performances have fallen short of expectations. In his seven race starts for the team, Colapinto has yet to finish higher than 13th and failed to start at Silverstone, following a qualifying crash and subsequent gearbox failure. These results have intensified speculation that his seat may be under threat ahead of the final stretch of the season. In stark contrast, his teammate Pierre Gasly has delivered all of Alpine's 20 championship points, finishing in the points three times in the past six races and keeping the struggling team marginally competitive in the constructors' standings, where they currently sit last. (with Reuters inputs) view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

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