Hadjar revels in old-school car and fan adoration

LE CASTELLET: For rising Formula One star Isack Hadjar Saturday’s “historic” race at the Paul Ricard Circuit offered a double treat: a chance to bask in the love of French fans and to drive a traditional ‘noisy’ Formula One car.
The 21-year-old Parisian has aligned himself with the anti camp this season as the Formula One paddock grumbles about new hybrid engines that use 50 percent petrol and 50 percent electric power.
On Saturday, Hadjar drove a 2011 Formula One car with an internal combustion engine at this nostalgic and popular event at a historic circuit in the south of France.
The day featured drivers of all ages, primarily French, including Alain Prost, who is 71, and Jacques Laffite, 82, as well as current drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.
Hadjer told AFP that he was hopeful after the sport’s governing body, the FIA, on Friday made further concessions to restore internal combustion as the dominant source of powere in F1 cars by next season.
“It’s a step in the right direction because nobody likes what we started with,” he said.
Hadjar called for “solutions to improve the problem, not make it worse.”
He has been siding with Max Verstappen, who threatened to leave F1 and compared this season’s cars to “Formula E (electric) on steroids,” and to the video game Mario Kart.
Not all drivers agree. Seven-time British world champion Lewis Hamilton said he was having a lot of fun.
Hadjer said he likes driving as fast as possible in a straight line before hitting the brakes for corners.
“That’s my vision of driving,” he said.