Red Bull reportedly clears Hadjar for Baku return, but TJ13 sources raise fresh injury concerns – Isack Hadjar is reportedly set to return to the Red Bull cockpit at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after completing a final simulator assessment, but TJ13 understands there are still significant concerns inside the team over the condition of his injured hand and the potential consequences of returning too soon.
RacingNews365 reported on Monday evening that Hadjar had successfully completed his final evaluation and that sources in the paddock indicated he would return alongside Max Verstappen in Baku. The report followed a simulator session designed to assess whether the Frenchman could cope with the physical demands of an F1 weekend.
However, TJ13 sources at Red Bull have provided a considerably more cautious picture, raising concerns about the performance impact of the injury and, crucially, the possibility of further damage to the hand if Hadjar returns before it has fully recovered.
RacingNews365 reports Hadjar has passed the test
Hadjar has missed the last three Grands Prix after suffering a wrist injury during boxing training over the summer break.
Liam Lawson has replaced him at Red Bull for the races at Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid, with Yuki Tsunoda moving into Lawson’s Racing Bulls seat during that period.
Red Bull had planned a final assessment before making its decision on Baku. RacingNews365 initially reported that Hadjar was undergoing the evaluation on Monday, before subsequently reporting that he had completed the simulator test successfully and was set to return.
The simulator was particularly important because Red Bull wanted to expose Hadjar to the forces and movements he would experience during an actual race weekend.
Team principal Laurent Mekies had previously made clear that Red Bull would not rush the driver back if doing so could compromise his recovery.
TJ13 sources remain worried about the injury
TJ13 understands that the situation is not viewed with the same degree of certainty inside Red Bull. Sources at the team remain concerned about how the injury could affect Hadjar’s performance once he is subjected to the demands of a complete Grand Prix weekend rather than a controlled simulator session.
The concern is not simply whether Hadjar can drive the RB22. It is whether he can do so at the level required without placing excessive stress on the injured hand.
TJ13 has also been told that there are worries about the possibility of further damage if the Frenchman returns before the injury has completely settled.
That creates a potentially important distinction between being capable of driving the car and being capable of competing at full performance for an entire race weekend.
For that reason, TJ13 understands that Hadjar’s comeback remains on a knife edge despite the more definitive tone of the RacingNews365 report.
Red Bull has previously insisted it will not take risks
The team’s public position has also been notably cautious.
Mekies said last week that Red Bull would only return Hadjar to the car when it believed he was sufficiently recovered, stressing that the team did not want an early comeback to compromise his long-term recovery.
“If he feels close to 100%, we go for it. If he feels the recovery is not completed, we will stick to our approach to put his recovery first,” Mekies said.
He added that Red Bull did not want an early return to compromise Hadjar’s “long-term capacity to come back to 100 per cent.”
That approach explains why the latest information from TJ13 is significant.
A simulator assessment can establish whether Hadjar can physically operate the car, but the stresses of Baku will be considerably greater. The street circuit features heavy braking zones, repeated direction changes and limited room for error.
Hadjar’s comeback could still change the Red Bull line-up
Hadjar had enjoyed an impressive start to his first season with Red Bull before the injury interrupted his campaign.
His absence has given Lawson another extended opportunity alongside Verstappen, with the New Zealander scoring points during his three-race spell.
If Hadjar does return, Lawson is expected to move back to Racing Bulls, while Tsunoda would resume his reserve-driver responsibilities.
RacingNews365’s report indicates that the decision has effectively been made, while other outlets have also reported that Hadjar is expected to race in Baku.
However, TJ13’s information suggests the situation should not necessarily be regarded as completely settled until Hadjar has gone through the final stages of the assessment and Red Bull is satisfied that he can withstand the demands of the weekend.
For TJ13, therefore, the key question is no longer simply whether Hadjar can return.
It is whether returning now allows him to perform at his required level without risking further damage to an injury that has already kept him out for three consecutive races.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Since Mekies has maintained that he’ll return only once he’s 100% okay, they haven’t gone back on his words; hence, the decision was made because he’s indeed 100% okay.