Hadjar says he’s been excited to race in F3 since he started in single-seaters

Hitech Grand Prix’s Isack Hadjar will become the latest Red Bull junior to join the Formula 3 grid in 2022, and the French racer says that he’s excited to compete in a Championship where “the driver can really make the difference.”

Stepping up from Formula Regional European, Hadjar is hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Red Bull juniors Jüri Vips, Liam Lawson and Ayumu Iwasa, who all enjoyed success with Hitech on their journey from F3 to F2.

“I have looked forward to racing in this championship since I started in single-seaters,” said Hadjar. “There are so many overtakes, and it is so close - the driver can really make the difference. I am really looking forward to the first race and to working with my new team.

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“This season will be more about progression than anything else. I don’t have any positional targets. I just want Red Bull to give me positive feedback on what I am doing and the job that I am doing every weekend. That’s the main target for me.”

Hadjar, who had never driven the Bahrain International Circuit prior to Day 1 of pre-season testing this week, finished 11th overall on Tuesday, before topping the timesheets on Day 2.

Ahead of his move to F3, the 17-year-old debuted for his new team in the Formula Regional Asian Championship, finishing third with two wins and five podiums, and he said that it provided him with valuable track-time during the off-season

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“We showed great speed and it went well,” said Hadjar. “We still need to learn a few things, but it is going well at the moment.

“It was good to have some fighting on track and get some mileage during the winter break. Even though the car wasn’t that similar to the FIA F3 car, it was good for getting in good shape.”