Isack Hadjar now risks missing a fourth consecutive Grand Prix, with new information suggesting that his wrist injury might be more serious than initially thought.
Read more Gabriel Bortoleto: «The race was so boring that I almost fell asleep!»
Tendon damage is now also mentioned, which could explain why Red Bull continues to delay his return.
The next event is set for Baku in ten days, but it will be followed by two other Grands Prix in quick succession, in Malaysia then Singapore.
Simulator evaluation
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies nevertheless assured that the Frenchman’s recovery was progressing normally given the nature of his injury: “Isack’s recovery is progressing as expected. This is a normal recovery time for the injury he is suffering from. We will continue to follow the same approach as so far. ”
Hadjar has already missed the Dutch, Italian, and Madrid Grands Prix, with Liam Lawson replacing him each time. Red Bull will once again wait until the last days before making a final decision regarding his participation in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Read more Carlos Sainz under fire after a difficult home Grand Prix in Madrid
“We will assess the situation in a week,” Mekies said. “We will then put him in the simulator to subject him to real constraints. If he feels close to 100%, then he will drive. And if we consider that his recovery is not yet complete, we will maintain our approach of prioritizing his recovery. We want to avoid compromising his chances of regaining 100% of his abilities long-term with a premature return.”
Lawson always ready
On his side, Liam Lawson acknowledges that this uncertainty complicates his preparation, as he must be ready to race every weekend for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls.
“It is possible that the decision regarding the car I will drive in Baku will only be made Wednesday or Thursday,” the New Zealander explained. “It’s psychologically difficult to prepare when you still don’t know which car you will drive. The more I drive this RB22, the more comfortable I feel, and going back to the other will be difficult.”
Lawson has scored valuable points for Red Bull by delivering solid races so far and could continue Hadjar’s interim, Yuki Tsunoda being recalled to Racing Bulls as he was for the previous three Grands Prix.
Read more Lando Norris tests McLaren’s Hypercar the day after the Spanish Grand Prix