Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekanes explained that the squad will keep focusing on Isack Hadjar’s rehabilitation rather than hastening his comeback, with a series of assessments scheduled before a decision is made about his participation in next weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Hadjar has been absent from the grid for the past three events after suffering a wrist injury during a routine training session that took place just before the championship resumed following its summer hiatus. In his stead, Racing Bulls’ driver Liam Lawson has been called up to fill the seat.
After the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, Mekanes said the French‑Swiss driver’s recuperation is proceeding according to plan, and that a simulator run has been arranged to gauge how ready Hadjar might be for a possible return in Baku. "There is nothing wrong with Isack’s recovery. We’ve learned that the timeline we’re seeing is typical for the type of injury he sustained," Mekanes told reporters. "So we will stick with the same method we have been using.
"We will reassess the situation in a week’s time." He added that the team has a little more than a full week to monitor Hadjar’s condition, to see how he feels, and then to put him into the simulator where he can experience realistic constraints without the physical demands of a race weekend. "If he feels close to 100 percent, we will give him the green light. If he feels the recovery is still incomplete, we will stay the course and put his health first," Mekanes said.
"What we do not want is an early return that could jeopardise his long‑term ability to get back to full fitness." The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which takes place on the street circuit around Baku’s historic waterfront, will start a day earlier than usual this year, with practice sessions scheduled for Wednesday and the race on Saturday. It marks the opening round of a three‑race swing that will continue with events in Malaysia and Singapore over the following two weekends. Lawson, who was promoted from sister team Racing Bulls, is stepping into Hadjar’s seat for the weekend. The New Zealander previously filled the role briefly at the start of last season in a short‑lived two‑race stint.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda remains in the Racing Bulls line‑up. Lawson has already shown his worth, qualifying eighth on two occasions and scoring points in both Zandvoort and Madrid, where he finished sixth. "He has done a very good job," Mekanes praised.
"We all know how challenging it is to jump into a different team and a different car, and he has met our expectations admirably. "He collected valuable points in Madrid with a P6, repeated that performance in Zandvoort, and would have done similarly in Monza if not for the contact with Nico Hulkenberg and the resulting damage." Mekanes emphasized that Lawson’s performance this season has been markedly better than his early‑year outings in 2025, when he first joined the team.
"The pictures are completely different now, and we are grateful and pleased with his progress," the team principal said. Over the past year, Lawson has rebuilt both form and confidence at Racing Bulls, enjoying a consistent points‑scoring run before his unexpected promotion to the senior Red Bull car. "He continues to develop as a driver," Mekanes added, noting that he has worked with Lawson across both Red Bull outfits. "He is calm in the cockpit, very focused, and keeps things simple when communicating with the team and handling the car’s performance.
"He concentrates on the fundamentals, gets the basics right, and that approach is delivering results. With more seat time, he can add a higher degree of finesse, but even now his performance is very strong," Mekanes concluded.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, kicking off a triple‑header of races from 24‑26 September, with the Baku event taking place on a Saturday. Viewers can stream the coverage via NOW, with no long‑term contract required and the option to cancel at any time.