Isack Hadjar will therefore not participate in the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend: Red Bull has confirmed that the Frenchman fractured his hand, forcing the team to change its line-up for Zandvoort.
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Liam Lawson will replace Hadjar at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, while Yuki Tsunoda will temporarily regain a seat at Racing Bulls.
Red Bull has not provided any estimate regarding the duration of Hadjar’s unavailability, simply wishing him a “speedy recovery”.
An injury sustained during training
According to BBC Sport, Hadjar fractured his hand during a boxing session over the summer break. The exact date of the accident is unknown, but the injury seems recent since the Frenchman was still presenting on Monday the special helmet he planned to use at Zandvoort.
The precise nature of the fracture has also not been disclosed. For a metacarpal fracture, most of the healing usually occurs after three to four weeks.
This makes his participation in the Italian Grand Prix uncertain: the Monza weekend will start only 16 days after that of Zandvoort.
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A possible but uncertain return at Monza
Previous cases show that the length of absence can vary greatly. Daniel Ricciardo fractured a metacarpal at Zandvoort in 2023 and missed five Grands Prix after having to undergo surgery.
In IndyCar, Callum Ilott was able to return to competition less than two weeks after a similar injury, while Jimmie Johnson even continued racing with a carbon fiber splint. In Formula E, Sam Bird was absent for about a month after a hand fracture.
Whether or not surgery is necessary will therefore be decisive for Hadjar.
An important opportunity for Lawson
The Frenchman’s absence gives Liam Lawson a new chance at Red Bull. The New Zealander has had an excellent season so far and has 43 points after 11 weekends, placing him at the top of the midfield teams.
The particular structure of Red Bull, with two teams in F1, thus allows the group to replace Hadjar with a driver already fully active this season, while giving Tsunoda the opportunity to return to competition at Racing Bulls.
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