Victim of a wrist fracture during the summer break, Isack Hadjar had to withdraw from Zandvoort. Red Bull had to react urgently.
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Isack Hadjar was forced to miss the Dutch Grand Prix after fracturing his wrist during training over the summer break. A particularly frustrating injury for the Frenchman, who was returning to the circuit where he had secured his first Formula 1 podium a year earlier.
The absence of the 21-year-old driver triggered a game of musical chairs within the two teams of the Red Bull family. Liam Lawson was recalled to Red Bull to support Max Verstappen, while Yuki Tsunoda rejoined Racing Bulls alongside Arvid Lindblad.
Lawson made the most of this opportunity by finishing seventh at Zandvoort, scoring his first points with Red Bull. Tsunoda, on the other hand, finished just outside the points in eleventh place.
Red Bull informed just days before Zandvoort
Peter Bayer, general manager of Racing Bulls, explained that the organization only learned of Hadjar’s injury late. Several exchanges were then necessary before a final decision was made on the Tuesday preceding the Grand Prix.
“It was at the end of the previous week that I learned about the injury. Then, of course, the phone started ringing, there were a few calls, and then on Tuesday, the decision was made about how we would approach this weekend.”
Despite the unexpected nature of the situation, Bayer assures that the teams have procedures in place to react quickly when a driver becomes unavailable.
“Even though we obviously don’t like these kinds of things to happen, when they do, we know what to do. We more or less follow the procedure.”
The main difficulty ultimately concerned Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver was enjoying his vacation in Greece when he was recalled to take the wheel of the Racing Bulls.
Tsunoda’s vacation interrupted
Tsunoda had to hastily change his plans to join the team and prepare for his return to competition. Racing Bulls notably made sure to give him simulator time before the Dutch weekend.
“The biggest change really concerned Yuki’s travel plans. We had to bring him back from Greece and get him into the simulator to provide the best possible support.”
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This unexpected return allowed Racing Bulls to have an experienced driver who knew the team’s environment perfectly. Tsunoda had left the structure at the end of the previous season but could quickly regain his bearings.
For Lawson, the situation was also familiar. The New Zealander had already been called urgently to Zandvoort in 2023 to replace Daniel Ricciardo, who was injured in the hand. He then made his Formula 1 debut with AlphaTauri.
Verstappen only learned the news on Tuesday
Max Verstappen also revealed that he was only informed of his teammate’s injury on the Tuesday before the Grand Prix. The Dutchman immediately wished Hadjar a speedy recovery.
“I also only learned the news on Tuesday. I obviously hope he can recover quickly with rest.”
This absence also meant that Verstappen would have to work with Lawson for the first time since the latter’s return to Racing Bulls in 2025. The four-time world champion knew that preparation would be particularly tricky given the Sprint format of the weekend.
“For Liam, having to jump straight into the car doesn’t help, especially during a Sprint weekend. But I saw him quickly in the simulator, so I hope he was able to do all the possible preparation.”
When will Hadjar be able to return?
No specific return date has yet been announced for Hadjar. The length of his unavailability will logically depend on the progress of his fracture and his ability to regain enough mobility and strength in his wrist to drive a Formula 1 car.
His withdrawal from Zandvoort was, in any case, a symbolic blow. It was precisely on the Dutch track that he had secured his first F1 podium by finishing third in 2025 with Racing Bulls, a result that marked a turning point in his career.
Red Bull now hopes to quickly recover its main driver. In the meantime, Lawson demonstrated with his seventh place in the Netherlands that he was capable of stepping in and bringing valuable points to the Austrian team.
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