Isack Hadjar will be absent from the upcoming Italian Grand Prix at Monza as his lingering wrist injury still requires treatment, and the Red Bull team has called up Liam Lawson to fill his seat for a second straight race. The French driver originally damaged his wrist while sparring in a boxing session during the summer break last month. That setback forced him to skip the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, and despite intensive rehabilitation, he has not recovered sufficiently to compete in Italy. Red Bull announced on Wednesday afternoon that they would give Hadjar every possible opportunity to return to the cockpit, but the team’s medical personnel concluded that a further race off the grid is the safest course of action.
The plan is for Hadjar to aim for a comeback at the next round in Madrid, where the team hopes his wrist will have healed enough to withstand the rigors of Formula 1 competition. "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 gives him another chance to prove himself as Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull. In the Dutch Grand Prix, Lawson qualified just one-tenth of a second behind Verstappen and finished the race in seventh place – a stark improvement over his earlier outings at the start of the 2025 season, when he was briefly dropped from the Red Bull program.
His strong performance at Zandvoort demonstrates that he can handle the pressure of a top‑tier seat and may earn a more permanent role if he continues to deliver. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda will also have an opportunity to shine for the Racing Bulls.
At Zandvoort, Tsunoda finished just outside the points but managed to finish ahead of full‑time driver Arvid Lindblad, indicating that he is capable of extracting performance from the car even when it is not at its peak. A solid showing in Italy could further cement his reputation as a reliable second driver for the team. Hadjar currently sits eighth in the Drivers’ Championship. Team principal Laurent Mekies has praised the 21‑year‑old, noting that he has been Verstappen’s closest teammate for several years and that his performances have been instrumental in maintaining Red Bull’s dominance.
Although Red Bull has not yet confirmed whether Hadjar will retain his seat beyond the 2026 season, his strong results to date suggest that the team will be inclined to keep him on the roster for 2027. The Italian Grand Prix weekend is packed with action beyond the main Formula 1 event.
The schedule includes practice sessions for the F3 and F2 support categories, qualifying rounds, sprint races, and a full day of races on Sunday. Highlights of the program 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 Grand Prix Practice One starting at 11.30 am, F3 qualifying at 12.55 pm, F2 qualifying at 1.50 pm, Italian Grand Prix Practice Two 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 Grand Prix Practice Three at 11.30 am, F2 sprint at 1.10 pm, Qualifying build‑up at 2.15 pm, the official Italian Grand Prix qualifying at 3 pm, 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 start at 2 pm, Chequered Flag reaction at 4 pm, and Ted’s Notebook at 5 pm. All of these events will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option. Fans are encouraged to use a Chrome browser for the most accessible video player experience. In summary, while Hadjar’s absence is a disappointment for his supporters, the decision reflects a cautious approach to his health.
Lawson’s return to the Red Bull seat provides an exciting storyline for the weekend, and Tsunoda’s performance will also be closely watched. The Monza race remains a marquee event on the Formula 1 calendar, marking Ferrari’s home race and offering a thrilling mix of high‑speed straights and historic corners. With the full schedule of support races and a packed broadcast lineup, viewers have plenty of content to enjoy throughout the weekend, and the hope is that Hadjar will be back on track for the next race in Madrid, fully recovered and ready to continue his promising Formula 1 career.