Hadjar ruled out for Zandvoort
Red Bull confirmed it on Wednesday. Isack Hadjar will not take part in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix. The French driver injured his wrist during the summer break.
“Isack Hadjar suffered a wrist injury during the summer break, which will prevent him from racing at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix,” the Austrian team said in its statement. “We welcome Liam Lawson back, and he will replace him in the RB22 this weekend. The team wishes Isack a speedy recovery and thanks Liam for stepping in at such short notice.”
The timing could hardly be worse for Hadjar. He sits eighth in the world championship after three top-five finishes in 11 starts this season. At 21, he was going through his first year in the senior team.
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Lawson returns to where it all began
Liam Lawson knows the place well. The 24-year-old New Zealander made his Formula 1 debut at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix on this very Zandvoort track. He now has 46 career starts.
His return sets off a chain reaction. Yuki Tsunoda leaves his reserve role and heads back to Racing Bulls alongside rookie Arvid Lindblad. The Japanese driver lost his Red Bull seat to Hadjar at the end of last season. Since then, he has been serving as reserve driver for both teams in the group.
“We thank Liam and Yuki for their flexibility as the teams prepare for the weekend, and we wish Isack a speedy recovery,” Racing Bulls said in a separate statement.
A weekend with no reference points
Zandvoort marks the return after the summer break. The teams arrive with no recent data, which makes Friday practice even more important than usual. Lawson will have to get up to speed in a matter of hours in a car he has not raced this season.
The Dutch circuit gives nothing away. Its banked corners and single real overtaking zone put qualifying at the heart of the weekend. For Lawson, this is as much a rescue mission as an audition.
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