Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekanes explained that the French driver Isack Hadjar’s rehabilitation will remain the top priority, and the team will not accelerate his comeback merely to fill the grid at the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The decision will be based on a series of medical checks and a practical assessment using the team’s simulator before any final call is made about his participation in Baku.
Hadjar has been sidelined for three consecutive rounds after he suffered a wrist injury during a routine training session that took place just before the championship resumed following the summer hiatus. In his absence, Liam Lawson, who normally drives for Red Bull’s sister outfit Racing Bulls, has been drafted in to fill the vacant seat. Mekanes addressed the situation after the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, noting that the driver’s healing process is proceeding exactly as expected.
He added that a simulator run is scheduled for the coming days, which will give the engineers a realistic picture of Hadjar’s current physical limits and his ability to handle the car under race‑like conditions. "There is nothing wrong with Isack’s recovery.
We have learned that the timeline we are seeing is typical for the type of injury he sustained," Mekanes said. "Therefore we will maintain the same measured approach we have been using so far. In a week’s time we will reassess the situation, see how he feels, and then put him in the simulator to expose him to the real‑world constraints of a race weekend." He continued, "If he feels close to 100 percent, we will give him the green light. If he tells us the recovery is not yet complete, we will stick to our principle of putting his health first.
What we do not want is to force an early return that could jeopardise his long‑term ability to perform at the highest level." The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is unique in the calendar because it is run on a Saturday rather than the usual Sunday, with practice sessions beginning on Wednesday and the race taking place on Saturday. It also marks the start of a three‑race sprint that will see the championship move to Malaysia and Singapore over the next two weekends. Lawson’s promotion from Racing Bulls to the senior Red Bull seat has been a smooth transition, according to Mekanes. The New Zealander previously filled in for a short, ill‑fated two‑race stint at the start of the previous season, and he has now been back with Racing Bulls, delivering solid performances.
Yuki Tsunoda continues to race for Racing Bulls. The substitute driver has already qualified eighth on two occasions and has collected points at both Zandvoort and the Madrid street circuit, where he finished sixth.
Mekanes praised his performance, saying, "He has done a very good job. We all know how difficult it is to jump into a different team and a different car, and he has met, if not exceeded, our expectations.
He earned valuable points in Madrid with a P6 finish and repeated that strong showing in Zandvoort. In Monza he would have likely achieved a similar result if not for the contact with Nico Hulkenberg that caused damage." Lawson’s confidence has been rebuilding steadily at Racing Bulls over the past year, and he entered the season with a consistent points‑scoring record before being called up to the senior Red Bull team on short notice. Mekanes added, "He continues to grow as a driver.
He is calm in the car, focused, and keeps things simple when communicating with the team and when managing his own performance. He concentrates on the fundamentals, gets the basics right, and that approach is clearly paying off.
With more time in the car, he will be able to add a higher degree of finesse, but his current strength is already very impressive." The broader context of the championship is that the F1 season remains live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicking off the September triple‑header. Fans can stream the action via Sky Sports NOW, which offers a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option. In summary, Red Bull is taking a cautious yet optimistic stance on Hadjar’s return.
The team will use a combination of medical evaluations and simulator data over the next week to determine whether the Frenchman is fit enough to compete in Baku. Meanwhile, Lawson continues to prove his worth as a reliable stand‑in, delivering points and demonstrating adaptability across different machinery. The next few days will be crucial for both drivers as the championship heads into a busy stretch of back‑to‑back races in three different countries, each presenting its own challenges and opportunities for the teams and their line‑ups.