Red Bull confirms Isack Hadjar will miss Zandvoort after wrist injury – Red Bull Racing has confirmed that Isack Hadjar will miss this weekend’s Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort after suffering a wrist injury during a gym session. The 21-year-old’s absence forces Red Bull to change both sides of its driver lineup, with Liam Lawson stepping up to the senior team and Yuki Tsunoda returning to a race seat.
Hadjar’s withdrawal was initially reported by Dutch newspaper De Limburger on Wednesday morning before Red Bull confirmed the news around midday. De Telegraaf subsequently reported that the injury occurred during a gym session in the immediate build-up to the Dutch Grand Prix.
TJ13 understands that Hadjar injured himself while boxing during the gym session. The incident has therefore left the Frenchman unable to compete at Zandvoort despite arriving at the summer break in excellent form.
Liam Lawson moves up to Red Bull
With Hadjar unavailable, Red Bull has opted for an internal solution rather than looking outside its existing driver pool.
Liam Lawson will move up from Racing Bulls to partner Max Verstappen at the senior Red Bull team for the Dutch Grand Prix. The New Zealander currently sits directly behind Hadjar in the drivers’ championship, having scored 43 points compared with his teammate’s 68.
The change represents another significant opportunity for Lawson, who has already experienced life with Red Bull in Formula 1. His promotion also means Racing Bulls must make a corresponding adjustment to its own lineup.
Yuki Tsunoda makes unexpected return
Yuki Tsunoda will replace Lawson at Racing Bulls, giving the Japanese driver an unexpected return to the Formula 1 grid.
The timing is particularly striking because Tsunoda had reportedly been facing an uncertain future in the sport. Earlier this week, there were reports that he had held discussions with an IndyCar team after apparently seeing little prospect of continuing as a full-time Formula 1 driver.
Instead, Hadjar’s injury has suddenly opened the door for Tsunoda to race again.
His return also provides another twist to the driver-market picture, although the circumstances surrounding his Zandvoort appearance are directly linked to Hadjar’s temporary absence rather than a permanent change to Red Bull’s plans.
Hadjar’s remarkable run is interrupted
The timing could hardly be worse for Hadjar. The Frenchman has enjoyed the strongest run of form of his Formula 1 career in recent races, recording seven consecutive finishes inside the top six.
That sequence includes four sixth-place finishes, two fifth-place results and a fourth-place finish.
Hadjar currently occupies eighth position in the drivers’ championship with 68 points. He is therefore only 25 points ahead of Lawson, who now has the opportunity to close the gap while racing alongside Verstappen at Red Bull.
Hadjar’s absence is consequently a major setback at a crucial stage of his first season with a top team. The immediate priority, however, will be his recovery and ensuring that he is fit to return to the cockpit as soon as possible.
One injury has therefore triggered changes at both Red Bull teams. Lawson moves into the senior Red Bull seat, while Tsunoda returns to Racing Bulls for a race weekend few would have expected him to contest.
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Craig Alderson is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Craig oversees newsroom operations and coordinates editorial output across the site. With a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing, he plays a key role in maintaining consistency, speed, and accuracy in TJ13’s coverage.
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