Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekane explained that the squad will keep Isack Hadjar's rehabilitation as the top priority, refusing to accelerate his comeback simply to fill the grid. The team intends to conduct a series of assessments, including a simulator run, before deciding whether the French driver will be fit enough to compete at the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Hadjar has been absent from the paddock for the past three rounds after injuring his wrist during a routine training session that took place just before the sport resumed following its summer hiatus. In his place, Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson has taken the wheel, stepping up from the sister team to cover the vacancy. Mekane spoke after the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, noting that the Frenchman's healing process is proceeding exactly as expected. He added that a dedicated simulator session has been scheduled for the coming week to gauge Hadjar's readiness for a potential return in Baku.
"There is nothing wrong with Isack's recovery. It appears to be a typical timeline for the type of injury he suffered," Mekane said. "We will therefore stick with the same method we have been using and re‑evaluate the situation in about a week." He emphasized that the team now has a little more than a full week to monitor the driver's condition, run the simulator test and see how the wrist feels under realistic constraints. "If he feels close to 100 percent, we will give him the green light.
If he still senses that the recovery is incomplete, we will continue to put his health first," Mekane added. "What we do not want is to bring him back too early and jeopardise his long‑term ability to perform at full capacity," he warned. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on Baku's street circuit and will start a day earlier than usual, with practice scheduled for Wednesday and the race on Saturday. This event marks the first leg of a three‑race swing that will continue with races in Malaysia and Singapore over the following two weekends.
Lawson, who previously had a brief two‑race stint with Red Bull at the start of the 2025 season, has now filled the gap left by Hadjar. His compatriot Yuki Tsunoda continues to race for the Racing Bulls outfit. The New Zealander has already shown his worth, qualifying eighth on two occasions and scoring points in both Zandvoort and Madrid, where he finished sixth.
"I think he's done a very good job," Mekane praised. "We all know how challenging it is to jump into a different team and a different car, and Liam has met those challenges better than we could have hoped. He collected valuable points in Madrid with a P6 finish and repeated that performance in Zandvoort.
In Monza he would have achieved a similar result if not for the contact with Nico Hulkenberg that caused damage." Mekane continued, "His performance this season is a stark contrast to the early races of 2025 when he first joined the team. We are grateful and delighted with his contributions." Over the past year Lawson has rebuilt his confidence at Racing Bulls, enjoying a steady stream of points finishes before being called up for the unexpected senior Red Bull role. "He continues to develop as a driver," Mekane observed, noting that he has worked with Lawson across both Red Bull teams.
"He remains calm behind the wheel and highly focused." "He keeps things simple – both in his communication with the engineers and in how he approaches 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 another layer of finesse, but his current foundation is already very strong." The Azerbaijan race will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, kicking off a three‑race weekend from September 24‑26, with the Baku event taking place on Saturday. Viewers can stream the coverage via NOW, with no long‑term contract required and the option to cancel at any time.