Isack Hadjar remains confident that he will be back behind the wheel for the upcoming Formula 1 round after a wrist injury forced him to sit out the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. The 24‑year‑old French driver sustained the problem while taking part in a boxing session that was part of his summer training regimen earlier this month.
As a result, Red Bull has called up Liam Lawson to fill his seat for the remainder of the weekend, marking Lawson's first appearance back for the Red Bull stable after being let go by the team earlier in the season. Lawson's promotion creates a domino effect within the Racing Bulls lineup. Yuki Tsunoda, who has been waiting on the sidelines, will step into Lawson's vacated seat, partnering full‑time driver Arvid Lindblad for the Dutch event.
According to sources at Sky Sports News, Hadjar suffered a minor fracture—a tiny crack in one of the wrist bones—late last week during a routine workout. After consulting Red Bull's medical team, the decision was made to skip the sprint weekend at Zandvoort, giving the Frenchman extra time to heal before the next race in Italy at Monza. Despite being sidelined, Hadjar travelled to the Zandvoort circuit to cheer on Lawson and the rest of the squad. He expressed optimism about a return at the Italian Grand Prix, scheduled for 4‑6 September, saying that the extra recovery period should be sufficient for him to regain full fitness.
The team’s medical staff are monitoring his progress closely and hope that the fracture will knit together quickly enough to allow him to compete on the high‑speed straights of Monza. Lawson, who was dropped from Red Bull after two under‑whelming outings last year, has spent the balance of the 2025 season with Racing Bulls and impressed enough to keep his seat for 2026.
The former Red Bull junior has become a notable midfield contender, chalking up eight points‑scoring finishes and currently sitting ninth in the Drivers' Championship—only behind the drivers from Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and the Red Bull works team. "I've had a lot more races since then [being dropped from Red Bull]. I feel much more comfortable racing in this sport, but it's going to be a very challenging weekend, for sure," Lawson said ahead of the sprint.
"It's a Sprint weekend, so it's going to be a quick learning process. But that's what we're focused on, that's what we tried to do in the simulator. If we can try and speed up that learning process as much as possible, then that would help our weekend." Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda has been watching the action from the pits and sees a chance to showcase his talent in hopes of securing a full‑time drive for the 2027 season. His prospects are somewhat clouded by recent contract extensions at the front of the grid—Max Verstappen re‑signed with Red Bull, while Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon locked down seats at Williams—but a strong performance could still open doors.
Tsunoda revealed that he was on holiday in Greece when he received the call to step into the Racing Bulls car for the Dutch GP. "When I heard, I was half excited and half doubtful because anything can happen, but I was super excited too," he explained. "It was all confirmed that I'm racing this weekend. I'm super excited and physically I'm feeling ready.
I've done a couple of TPCs [Testing of Previous Cars]. It will be my first time in this car but still, I'm very excited." He added, "As far as I understand, I will be in the seat for now—this weekend—and also it depends on Isack's recovery. I hope that recovery goes pretty fast. I'm not sure about the next Grand Prix but my objective is to have fun.
I've been waiting for a long time. I was watching the screen for the last few months. Since the season started, I've been dying to be in the car and compete with the drivers. This moment I will just enjoy, and obviously give my 100 per cent performance.
Hopefully that will bring some good results." The Dutch Grand Prix weekend features a packed schedule, beginning on Saturday, 22 August, with F1 Academy qualifying at 8:15 am, followed by build‑up sessions for the sprint race, the sprint itself, and the main qualifying later in the day. The Sunday program includes additional Academy races, Porsche Supercup support races and the Grand Prix proper, culminating in the chequered flag and post‑race reaction.
All sessions are being broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option. In summary, while Hadjar's wrist fracture has temporarily removed him from the Zandvoort grid, the combination of diligent medical care, a supportive team environment, and a clear recovery plan gives him a realistic chance to be back in the cockpit for the high‑speed showdown at Monza. Lawson and Tsunoda will seize the opportunity to prove themselves, adding extra intrigue to a weekend already rich with sprint action, support series battles, and the ever‑present drama of Formula 1.
The next few weeks will be crucial for Hadjar's health and for the midfield drivers looking to make their mark before the season heads into its final, decisive phase.