Hadjar to Miss Dutch Grand Prix, Red Bull Already Finds Replacement
Isack Hadjar injured his wrist during a gym session, and Liam Lawson steps into the RB22. Yuki Tsunoda returns to Racing Bulls.
Isack Hadjar injured his wrist during a gym session, and Liam Lawson steps into the RB22. Yuki Tsunoda returns to Racing Bulls.
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull driver, will not compete in the Dutch Grand Prix due to a wrist injury sustained during a routine gym session. Red Bull Racing confirmed the news in an official statement, announcing that Liam Lawson, the current Racing Bulls driver, will replace him in the RB22.
Lawson thus returns to the main Red Bull team after starting the 2025 season there with only two races before being demoted. The New Zealander has been posting solid results in the second team this season and currently holds ninth place in the drivers' standings, just behind Hadjar, whom he now replaces.
Lawson's temporary move to Red Bull has opened a spot at Racing Bulls, which will be filled by reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver finished last season without a race seat in Formula 1, and will now race for Red Bull's second team alongside Arvid Lindblad.
In Red Bull's statement, it reads: "Hadjar sustained a wrist injury during the summer break, and due to this injury, he will not be able to race at the Dutch Grand Prix. We welcome back Lawson, who will replace him in the RB22 this weekend. The team wishes Isack a speedy recovery and thanks Liam for stepping in at the last minute."
Hadjar was on an excellent run of results before the summer break. In the last seven races, he recorded one fourth, two fifth, and four sixth-place finishes. After 11 races this season, he sits in eighth place in the championship, 41 points behind his teammate Max Verstappen.
The good news for the French driver is that he has two weeks until the next race in Monza, scheduled for September 6, 2026. This gives him a better chance of a full recovery. The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort takes place on Sunday at 3 PM.
This is not the first time Lawson has replaced an injured driver at Zandvoort. In fact, in 2023, he made his Formula 1 debut there, replacing Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri, who also missed the race due to a wrist injury, just like Hadjar three years later.
Interestingly, this will be the last race held at Zandvoort, as the Dutch Grand Prix will no longer be on the Formula 1 calendar from next year.
Tsunoda was in talks with Haas for 2026 before this season, but after the American team opted for Esteban Ocon, he accepted the role of reserve driver for Red Bull and Racing Bulls. At Racing Bulls, he will be joined by Arvid Lindblad, who is in his first season in Formula 1.
Racing Bulls also issued a statement: "We thank Liam and Yuki for their flexibility as the teams prepare for the weekend, and we wish Isack a speedy recovery."
Ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, which is the 12th race of the season, drivers will have two opportunities to score points: Saturday's sprint (at 12 PM) and Sunday's race (at 3 PM). After that, there is a two-week break until the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
In the drivers' standings, Hadjar is eighth with 68 points, while Max Verstappen is sixth with 109 points. The leader is Kimi Antonelli with 219 points, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who has 50 points less.
