Live updates: Follow the latest on the 2024 Abu Dhabi F1
A grand prix weekend is a busy affair for everyone involved but on Friday, French-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar was arguably the busiest man at Yas Marina Circuit.
Juggling his roles as a Formula 2 title contender with Campos Racing and a reserve driver for Red Bull Racing in Formula 1, the 20-year-old Hadjar spent the day getting shuttled back and forth from one paddock to the other.
In F2, Hadjar started the weekend just 0.5 points behind championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto, and topped the timesheets in Friday morning’s free practice.
He then made his way to the F1 paddock to fill in for Max Verstappen and drove the four-time world champion’s RB20 in the opening free practice session of the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He completed 22 laps for Red Bull and finished the session in 15th place.
Just 15 minutes after completing FP1, Hadjar was back at the F2 paddock – on the opposite end of Yas Marina Circuit – suited up for Campos Racing and ready for qualifying.
He qualified for the final F2 feature race of the season in fourth, but has moved up to P3 due to a penalty handed to Paul Aron, who will start from the pit lane.
“It was really intense,” Hadjar told The National. “You are really a passenger, because you have no time for yourself to reset. So you’re just following the plan. It’s really tiring, exhausting, but it’s what I love to do, it’s to drive, and driving the whole day was really good.
“I had to go through F1 paddock, F2 paddock, F1 paddock. Even on Thursday, I’ve never had this amount of media, because when you’re driving Verstappen’s car and you’re fighting for the world title in F2, it gets really busy.”
Those aren’t the only reasons Hadjar has been getting extra attention in Abu Dhabi this weekend. The Red Bull junior driver is a hot candidate for an RB seat in F1 next season as one of Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda is expected to be promoted to Red Bull Racing, replacing Sergio Perez.
“We're fortunate that we've got a tremendous pool of talent. It was good to see Isack Hadjar getting a run out as well in free practice today,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told reporters on Friday.
“We've got two talented drivers in VCARB. But until the situation is clear with Sergio and what he wants to do, everything else is purely speculation.”
Friday was Hadjar’s fourth time driving an F1 car at a grand prix weekend. He took part in two free practice sessions for RB and Red Bull in 2023, and drove Perez’s car for Red Bull at Silverstone this season.
He admits jumping back into an F2 car just a few minutes after being in an F1 vehicle is challenging, but one he has successfully navigated on multiple occasions now.
“They are worlds apart,” he told F1 TV of the difference between driving both cars. “When I went back to the F2 it felt super slow and everything comes at you slowly. But at the same time, it’s incredibly physical without power-steering so I had to get back to it and getting used to it was really tough. They are 15 seconds a lap slower. So it’s huge.”
Hadjar said he was pleased with his performance in Verstappen’s car on Friday.
“I got to drive the best car in the world,” he told The National. “I did many laps ... the programme was really intense. It gave me a really good taste of F1 and I’ll be back in the car on Tuesday [for the post-season test].
“Honestly, I was happy with myself. When I’m happy with myself, everyone is too. So all the engineers were fine with my performance and the feedback as well. So that was great.”
Hadjar was born in Paris and holds both French and Algerian citizenship. He does not hail from a motorsport family but his father Yassine used to watch F1 on TV and did some go-karting for fun.
“I was just a fan of speed and cars in general and I found myself in a go-kart at five years old,” Hadjar recalled.
“The first time I drove a go-kart, my dad was like, 'OK, this little guy is pretty much made for it' and he’s been my number one supporter since the first day.”
His father was his go-kart mechanic during his first few years before Hadjar began making his way up the junior racing categories.
He grew up idolising Ayrton Senna, “just the character himself and his story it really touched me,” he says, and is also a fan of Lewis Hamilton.
Hadjar went on holiday to Algeria every year until he was 13 and is planning a visit with his father there in the near future.
His parents, sister, and friends have all come to Abu Dhabi to watch him this weekend and he has been stunned by the amount of support he has received from the Algerian and Arab community at Yas Marina Circuit.
“It is huge, honestly,” he says with a big smile on his face. “It’s more than the support I receive anywhere else. We are really supportive with each other, whereas in Europe it’s a bit different – there’s a lot of critics and everything. Whereas here, Algerians are all supporting me and it’s great.”
In 2022, Hadjar joined Red Bull’s junior programme after making a good impression in the Formula Regional European Championship the previous season, scoring two race wins, one pole, and five podiums, to clinch P5 in the standings.
“They signed me in a moment in my career where I didn’t know where I was going really. So they gave me the most important thing, which is perspective – the route to Formula 1, F3, F2, F1,” said Hadjar.
He is now knocking on the door of F1 with official announcements expected to be made soon regarding the Perez's future. There is a great deal of noise surrounding Red Bull and RB’s lineups for 2025 and Hadjar is more than happy to know his name has been coming up a lot.
“I like it. I really like it,” he said. “I know what’s going on, I know what I’m doing. I can’t say anything but I can tell you I’m just focused on winning F2. That’s the only thing I can say,” he added, giving a strong indication that his F1 future is pretty much guaranteed.
Hadjar finished fifth in Saturday’s sprint race and now trails Bortoleto by 4.5 points in the championship. Sunday’s F2 feature race and title decider kicks off at 1.25pm.
“I feel really confident. I have a really good car this weekend and I’ll make the most of it,” he says. “I’m ready.”
Meghan%20podcast
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
Crime%20Wave
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full
1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
FIGHT CARD
Welterweight Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Tohir Zhuraev (TJK)
Catchweight 75kg Leandro Martins (BRA) v Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Flyweight Corinne Laframboise (CAN) v Manon Fiorot (FRA)
Featherweight Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB)
Lightweight Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) v Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG)
Featherweight Yousef Al Housani (UAE) v Mohamed Arsharq Ali (SLA)
Catchweight 69kg Jung Han-gook (KOR) v Elias Boudegzdame (ALG)
Catchweight 71kg Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
Featherweight title Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
Lightweight title Bruno Machado (BRA) v Mike Santiago (USA)
Mobile phone packages comparison
More coverage from the Future Forum
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
INFO
What: DP World Tour Championship
When: November 21-24
Where: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae.
'Peninsula'
Stars: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Ra
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Rating: 2/5
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Maestro
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THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
57%20Seconds
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