Isack Hadjar will be absent from this weekend's Italian Grand Prix as his lingering wrist injury still prevents him from competing. The French driver, who sustained the ailment while sparring in a boxing session during the summer break, has already missed the Dutch Grand Prix and now must sit out the Monza event.
Red Bull has called up Liam Lawson for a second straight race to fill Hadjar's seat, giving the young New Zealander another opportunity to partner Max Verstappen at the flagship team. The injury occurred last month when Hadjar incorporated boxing into his off‑season training regimen. The impact to his wrist was sufficient to force his withdrawal from the Zandvoort round, and despite an intensive rehabilitation program, medical staff have concluded that he will not be fit in time for the high‑speed demands of Monza.
Red Bull announced on Wednesday afternoon that while they remain eager to see Hadjar back behind the wheel, the team will not take any unnecessary risks with his recovery. They hope the Frenchman will be able to rejoin the lineup for the next race in Madrid the following weekend. "Liam will drive alongside Max at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, while Isack continues to make encouraging progress following the wrist injury sustained during the summer break," Red Bull said in an official statement. "The team is closely monitoring his rehabilitation and will take no unnecessary risks with his return to competition and wishes him a speedy recovery." Lawson's promotion means that Yuki Tsunoda will again have a chance to showcase his talent at Racing Bulls.
Tsunoda finished just outside the points in the Dutch Grand Prix, outperforming full‑time driver Arvid Lindblad, and will be looking to build on that performance in Italy. Meanwhile, Hadjar sits eighth in the Drivers' Championship and team principal Laurent Mekies has praised him as perhaps Verstappen's closest teammate over the past few seasons. Although Red Bull has not yet confirmed Hadjar's contract status beyond 2026, his strong results at the age of 21 suggest that the team will likely retain him for the 2027 season.
Lawson's recent outings have been impressive. At Zandvoort he qualified only one tenth of a second behind Verstappen and finished the race in seventh place, a stark improvement over his earlier two Red Bull appearances at the start of 2025, which ended with him being dropped from the squad.
His consistent pace and ability to extract performance from the car have earned him praise from the engineering staff, and the team will be keen to see whether he can translate that form into a podium finish at Monza. The Italian Grand Prix weekend is packed with action across the Formula 1 support series. The schedule includes F3 and F2 practice sessions, qualifying rounds, sprint races, and the main Formula 1 qualifying and race. Highlights of the programme are: - Thursday, September 3: Drivers' press conference at 1 pm, followed by the Paddock Uncut at 4 pm.
- Friday, September 4: F3 practice at 7.30 am, F2 practice at 8.55 am, Italian GP Practice One at 11 am (session actually starts at 11.30 am), F3 qualifying at 12.55 pm, F2 qualifying at 1.50 pm, Italian GP Practice Two at 2.35 pm (starts at 3 pm), The F1 Show at 4.15 pm, and the Team Bosses' press conference at 5.20 pm. - Saturday, September 5: F3 sprint at 8.25 am, Italian GP Practice Three at 11.15 am (starts at 11.30 am), F2 sprint at 1.10 pm, Qualifying build‑up at 2.15 pm, Italian GP Qualifying at 3 pm (also on Sky Sports Main Event), and Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 5 pm. - Sunday, September 6: F3 feature race at 7.10 am, F2 feature race at 8.40 am, Porsche Supercup race at 10.40 am, Grand Prix build‑up at 12.30 pm, the Italian Grand Prix itself at 2 pm, Chequered Flag reaction at 4 pm, and Ted's Notebook at 5 pm. Fans can watch the entire weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW without a long‑term contract.
The race at Monza is Ferrari's home event, and the historic circuit will provide a dramatic backdrop for the battle between Verstappen, Lawson, and the rest of the field, even as Hadjar continues his rehabilitation. Medical experts stress that wrist injuries, especially those involving repetitive impact like boxing, can take several weeks to fully heal.
The recovery protocol for Hadjar includes physiotherapy, controlled strength training, and gradual re‑introduction to the steering forces experienced in an F1 car. Red Bull's medical team will continue to monitor his progress closely, and any decision about his return will be based on objective assessments rather than schedule pressures. In summary, while Hadjar's absence is a setback for the French driver and his supporters, the situation also opens doors for Lawson and Tsunoda to make their mark.
The Italian Grand Prix promises high‑speed excitement, strategic intrigue, and the chance for emerging talents to prove themselves on one of motorsport's most revered stages.