Isack Hadjar will be absent from this weekend's Italian Grand Prix after his wrist injury failed to heal in time, prompting Red Bull to call up Liam Lawson for a second straight race in the Frenchman's place. The injury originated during a boxing session that Hadjar incorporated into his summer break training regimen last month. The impact was severe enough to force him out of the Dutch Grand Prix, and despite intensive rehabilitation efforts, he has not regained sufficient strength or mobility to safely compete at Monza. Red Bull confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that while they remain eager to give Hadjar every possible opportunity to return to the cockpit, their medical team advised against rushing his recovery.
The team therefore decided to keep him out of the Italian round, hoping he can rejoin the lineup for the following event in Madrid next weekend. In a statement the team said, "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. 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 gives him another chance to prove his worth as Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull. After a respectable showing in the Netherlands—qualifying only a tenth of a second behind Verstappen and finishing seventh in the race—Lawson hopes to build on that momentum.
His performance at Zandvoort stood in stark contrast to his earlier outings at the start of the 2025 season, when he was briefly dropped after two lackluster races. If he can replicate or improve upon his Dutch results, Lawson could solidify his position within the Red Bull stable for the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda will also have an opportunity to shine for the Racing Bulls. Although he finished just outside the points in the Dutch Grand Prix, his pace was strong enough to place him ahead of full‑time driver Arvid Lindblad.
Tsunoda's consistency and ability to extract performance from the car could earn him additional track time, especially if the team continues to shuffle its driver roster to accommodate Hadjar's recovery timetable. Hadjar currently sits eighth in the Drivers' Championship. Team principal Laurent Mekies has praised the 21‑year‑old Frenchman, noting that he has been Verstappen's closest teammate for several seasons and that his contributions have been vital to the squad's success.
While Red Bull has not yet announced whether Hadjar will remain with the team beyond the 2027 season, his strong performances to date suggest that a contract extension is likely, provided he can stay healthy. The Italian Grand Prix weekend is packed with supporting series and events.
The schedule includes F3 and F2 practice sessions, qualifying rounds, and sprint races, all leading up to the main Formula 1 race on Sunday. Key timings are as follows: - Thursday, September 3: Drivers' press conference at 1 p.m., followed by the Paddock Uncut at 4 p.m. - Friday, September 4: F3 practice at 7.30 a.m., F2 practice at 8.55 a.m., Italian GP Practice One at 11 a.m. (session starts at 11.30 p.m.), F3 qualifying at 12.55 p.m., F2 qualifying at 1.50 p.m., Italian GP Practice Two at 2.35 p.m.
(session starts at 3 p.m.), The F1 Show at 4.15 p.m., and Team Bosses' press conference at 5.20 p.m. - Saturday, September 5: F3 sprint at 8.25 a.m., Italian GP Practice Three at 11.15 a.m.
(session starts at 11.30 a.m.), F2 sprint at 1.10 p.m., Italian GP qualifying build‑up at 2.15 p.m., the official qualifying session at 3 p.m., and Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 5 p.m. - Sunday, September 6: F3 feature race at 7.10 a.m., F2 feature race at 8.40 a.m., Porsche Supercup race at 10.40 a.m., Grand Prix build‑up at 12.30 p.m., the Italian Grand Prix start at 2 p.m., Chequered Flag reaction at 4 p.m., and Ted's Notebook at 5 p.m. All sessions, including the main race, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available through the NOW platform, which offers flexible contracts and the ability to cancel at any time. Viewers are advised to use the Chrome browser for the most accessible video player experience.
In summary, Hadjar's wrist injury continues to sideline him, but Red Bull's depth allows them to field Lawson and give Tsunoda additional exposure. The team remains cautious about Hastjar's return, prioritising his long‑term health over short‑term gains. Fans can look forward to a full weekend of racing action at Monza, with multiple support categories and extensive coverage across Sky Sports and NOW, ensuring that the excitement of Ferrari's home race reaches a global audience.