MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar is heading into the season-opening Formula 1 race in Australia with fewer than 500 laps in a Grand Prix car under his belt
The 20-year-old Hadjar has been dubbed ‘Petit Prost’ — a young version of former F1 star Alain Prost — by the French media for his successes in F2 last year, when he finished runner-up with four victories. That was two more than champion Gabriel Bortoleto, now with Sauber.
The French driver has had just four practice sessions in F1 and last year’s post-season test for Red Bull Racing and the brand’s second Grand Prix team, now known as Racing Bulls. He says “it’s enough” ahead of his first F1 race weekend.
“Ideally, I would go on different tracks, of course, because now Melbourne in an F1 car is pretty challenging,” Hadjar said. “By F1 experience, I’ve been on really easy tracks — Bahrain and Abu Dhabi mostly. So now on really challenging tracks, it’s going to be a fair bit different.”
He says he doesn’t need more practice laps, though, even if he’s one of the least experienced of the six rookies on the F1 grid. Australian F1 Grand Prix official practice starts Friday, with qualifying Saturday and the race on Sunday afternoon.
“You just need mileage, and you need the real racing,” Hadjar said. Going out alone to do the 300 kilometers (186 miles) to qualify for FIA’s Super License to race F1 is good for understanding the car setup, he added, “but when you’re racing 19 other cars, it’s completely different.”
“So I need to do my first race. You need to learn on the job for that.”
Hadjar has good memories of Melbourne, having won the F2 feature race for Campos Racing last year and ensuring he goes into the weekend with confidence.
“An F1 track becomes really different once you go into an F1 car,” he said. “But I would say, I had the dream weekend here last year in F2, so it’s like playing at home.”
AP Formula 1: https://apnews.com/hub/formula-one
RB driver Isack Hadjar of France in action during a Formula One pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
RB driver Isack Hadjar of France in action during a Formula One pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Team RB driver Isack Hadjar of France poses for the drivers portrait photo session ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
SEATTLE (AP) — Brandon Mountour had the fastest goal in NHL overtime history, scoring his second goal of the game four seconds into overtime to give the Seattle Kraken a 5-4 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.
Chandler Stephenson won the faceoff, with the puck going to Montour. He streaked in on goalie Jakub Dobes and beat him with a shot to the upper-right corner.
The goal matches the fastest to start any period in NHL history, with three players doing it in regulation. Claude Provost scored at four seconds of the second period for Montreal in a 1957 game against Boston, Denis Savard did it for Chicago against Hartford in the third period of a 1986 game, and James van Riemsdyk did it at the start of the second for Toronto against Philadelphia in 2014.
Seattle overcame two-goal deficit to tie it in the third period. Jani Nyman, making his NHL debut, scored on a power play with 9:07 left, and Matty Beniers tipped in a hard shot by Vince Dunn on a power play with 2:12 left to tie it at 4.
Montour also opened the scoring 4:14 into the game and had two assists. Eeli Tolvanan scored his career-high 19th for Seattle, and Joey Daccord made 21 saves.
Montreal scored four straight goals to take a 4-2 lead. Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice and Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook also connected. Dubes made 30 saves.
Canadiens: With his second goal of the game, Slaflovsky became just the second player in Canadiens history to reach 100 career points at age 20. He is 20 years, 347 days. Mario Tremblay, reached that mark in 1976-77 at 20 years, 164 days.
Kraken: Nyman, who has 26 goals for Coachella Valley in the American Hockey League, is the second Kraken player to score in his NHL debut. Tye Kartye did it in a 2023 first-round playoff game against Colorado in Denver.
With the Kraken on the power play in the third period, Jordan Eberle gained control of the puck behind the Montreal net. He found Nyman, who was wide open just outside the top right corner of the blue paint, and he drilled it into the back corner.
Montour broke a tie with Dunn (2022-23) for Kraken record for goals in a season by a defenseman with 15.
The Kraken host Utah on Friday night. The Canadiens host Florida on Saturday night.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Seattle Kraken right wing Jani Nyman high-fives mascot Buoy after a 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens in an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord celebrates after a 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens in overtime in an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers, center, celebrates scoring with defenseman Brandon Montour (62) and right wing Jani Nyman, second from left, as Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak (28) looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovsky (20) greets teammates, including defenseman Mike Matheson (8) after scoring against the Seattle Kraken during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovsky, second from left, celebrates his goal against the Seattle Kraken with teammates Cole Caufield (13) and Nick Suzuki (14) as Kraken right wing Eeli Tolvanen, right, looks away during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Kraken right wing Eeli Tolvanen (20) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens with center Chandler Stephenson (9) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) grabs Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn (29) as officials try to separate players from both teams after Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson collided with Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, far left, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) fights with Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle (7) and defenseman Adam Larsson (6) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour (62) reacts to scoring as Montreal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) looks down during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour (62) reacts to scoring to win 5-4 in overtime as Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) and goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) react in an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
