Hadjar Returns at Baku
Isack Hadjar returns to Red Bull for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix following wrist injury.
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Key Points
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Before the summer break, Hadjar had recorded seven consecutive top-six finishes, including a podium at Monaco that was later reinstated after the International Court of Appeal re-applied Pierre Gasly’s time penalties.
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During his recovery, Hadjar spoke with MotoGP champion Marc Márquez, who has also dealt with significant injuries, as he weighed the timing of his return.
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Hadjar described his month away from racing as an unfamiliar experience, saying: “It’s the first time in my life that I’ve not been racing and that’s a weird feeling to get used to.”
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Yuki Tsunoda scored a point for Racing Bulls at Monza while deputizing for Lawson, although he will now return to his reserve-driver role.
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Hadjar’s return comes after a 58-day absence from Grand Prix competition; his last race was the Hungarian Grand Prix in July.
Isack Hadjar will return to Red Bull at this week's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after recovering from a wrist injury sustained during Formula 1's summer break BeninWebTV. The 21-year-old French driver missed the Dutch, Italian, and Spanish races over a 58-day absence. Red Bull has cleared him following rehabilitation, medical checks, and simulator work, avoiding any rush to get him back in the car CrashNet.
Hadjar's return means Liam Lawson heads back to Racing Bulls after recording seventh- and sixth-place finishes during his three-race stand-in stint. Yuki Tsunoda will resume his reserve role after filling in at Racing Bulls. Red Bull has also confirmed Hadjar will remain Max Verstappen's teammate through the 2027 season CrashNet.
A Month Away From Racing Felt Weird
Hadjar described his time off as an unfamiliar struggle. "It's the first time in my life that I've not been racing and that's a weird feeling to get used to," he said Formula1. He spoke privately with MotoGP champion Marc Márquez, who has overcome serious injuries, to discuss the mental side of recovery Autoweek.
Before his injury, Hadjar had strung together seven straight top-six finishes. His Monaco podium was later reinstated after the International Court of Appeal re-applied speeding penalties to Alpine's Pierre Gasly TheRace. Hadjar currently sits eighth in the drivers' championship with 71 points, far behind teammate Verstappen's 145 TheRace.
Lawson and Tsunoda Step In and Deliver
Liam Lawson proved Red Bull's driver depth during the three-race stand-in period, scoring 14 points with finishes of seventh at Zandvoort and sixth at Monza Autosport. Meanwhile, Tsunoda scored one point for Racing Bulls at Monza while temporarily replacing Lawson. Both drivers now return to their regular roles Autosport.
Max Verstappen noted that the 2026-generation cars are "numb to your driver inputs," suggesting modern machinery reduces how much raw skill separates drivers TSN. This made Lawson's respectable performances less of a shock and highlighted Red Bull's organizational strength TheRace.
Red Bull Locks In Its Future Lineup
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies praised Hadjar's transition, saying TheRace: "Isack has been superb on and off track, especially considering this is only his second Formula 1 season, which made extending his contract an easy decision." The extension runs through 2027 alongside Verstappen CrashNet.
Hadjar was promoted to Red Bull after a strong 2025 rookie season at Racing Bulls Formula1. His contract extension signals confidence in the 21-year-old as the team's lead driver pairing heads into 2027. Racing Bulls' lineup now stabilizes with Lawson's return and Tsunoda back in reserve duties TheRace.
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