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Isack Hadjar says 2024 is ‘all about winning’ as he prepares for his second season in Formula 2
Campos Racing’s Isack Hadjar is targeting victories in 2024 as he prepares himself for a second Formula 2 season, with the Frenchman looking to do all he can to make the move up to Formula 1.
Hadjar returns looking to build on a rookie campaign that saw him score a podium finish in the Spielberg Sprint Race before finishing 14th in the Drivers’ Championship with Hitech Pulse-Eight.
Looking to build on his maiden campaign, Hadjar, who made it clear how keen he is to return to the track in Bahrain for pre-season testing, has already identified key areas for improvement in order to give him a better chance on Sundays.
“I think improving my approach going into the weekend is really important,” said Hadjar. “Just leaving nothing to luck basically and covering every point I can cover to arrive in Free Practice ready.
“Also being more precise. I think it’s important for me to be more consistent in my qualifying performances, compared to last year, so I think that will be key. In the races I do pretty well so I think the key point will be qualifying and to be in the top 10 at least.”
He will be looking to improve those things with the help of his new team Campos. Hadjar took part in the post-season test at Yas Marina with the Spanish squad and so far, he can only see positives from working with them.
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“The first few months have been really good,” said Hadjar. “I mean I did the post-season test in Abu Dhabi and straight away I felt comfortable, and I felt really quick.
“So, it's just been really good to work with them and it's been a good first few months with them, working really hard. They are good bunch of people, so really happy to be a part of the team.”
While there will be plenty of new names to get used to in his new surroundings this year, there will be at least be one familiar face for Hadjar in the form of his teammate Josep María Martí.
The pair are both a part of Red Bull’s Academy but the Frenchman revealed that his relationship with the Spaniard goes much further back than that, with the pair having met as kids racing go-karts.
“I've known Pepe since go-kart days,” Hadjar revealed. “I've known him for quite a lot of years now and it's the first time we are going to be teammates even though I've raced him quite a bit.
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“I'm happy to share the seat with him, I think he's a great guy, he is fast, he is my Red Bull teammate, so I think we have a good duo, a good line-up for the team.”
Campos are a team on the rise having won an F2 race last year for the first time since 2019. Hadjar is confident that the team have the right people in place to earn more in 2024, especially as he says this year is “all about winning”.
Asked what his goals for the season are, Hadjar said: “My goal is to go to F1. So, if that means I have to win the F2 Championship then I'd be happy to win it.”