Isack Hadjar returns to Red Bull for Azerbaijan Grand Prix after wrist injury

Hadjar cleared for Red Bull return in Baku

French driver Isack Hadjar will return to Red Bull Racing alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen for this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after recovering from a left wrist injury. The 21-year-old driver was sidelined for the past three races after injuring his wrist while boxing during the Formula 1 summer break. The team's medical department declared him fit to compete in Baku, clearing him to get back behind the wheel of car number 6. Hadjar currently holds eighth place in the drivers' championship standings with 71 points, with a season-best third-place finish in Monaco. His appearance at the Baku City Circuit marks his first competitive outing since 26 July at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he finished sixth, 40 seconds behind his teammate.

Roster realignment across Red Bull and Racing Bulls

Hadjar's return triggers a cascade of seat movements across Red Bull's Formula 1 operations. New Zealand driver Liam Lawson, who substituted for Hadjar across the previous three rounds, will return to sister team Racing Bulls. Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda, who had been drafted into Racing Bulls alongside British rookie Arvid Lindblad during Lawson's promotion, steps back into his reserve driver role and will not compete in Baku. Red Bull issued a formal team statement acknowledging Lawson's contributions during the three-race substitution period.

Stepping in under challenging circumstances, he delivered some impressive performances and made a valuable contribution to the team.

Lawson, who previously started last season alongside Verstappen before moving to Racing Bulls after two rounds, scored 14 points during his temporary return to Red Bull. The 24-year-old finished seventh at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort in late August and took sixth place at Madrid two weeks ago in the inaugural edition of the new Spanish Grand Prix, with a 14th-place finish at Monza in early September.

Preparations and driver reaction

Hadjar completed simulator sessions before travelling to Azerbaijan and reported positive feedback from his technical preparations. His recovery followed almost two months away from competitive driving, representing the first injury layoff of his racing career. The French racer noted that his focus throughout August and September remained centered entirely on physical rehabilitation to accelerate his return.

The past month was difficult for me; it was the first time in my life that I was not racing and that is a strange feeling. Immediately after picking up the injury, I focused fully on my recovery so that I could get back to work as quickly as possible.

Hadjar confirmed that the simulator running showed encouraging data, expressing eagerness to hit the ground running upon his return to the garage on Thursday.

Adjusted Baku timetable and upcoming triple header

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix operates on a revised schedule compared to standard Formula 1 weekends. Opening free practice sessions are scheduled for Thursday, with qualifying taking place on Friday and the race itself running on Saturday instead of the usual Sunday slot, accommodating Azerbaijan's national Remembrance Day. The Baku race weekend opens a triple header of three consecutive race weekends across Eurasia, with the championship heading to Malaysia from 2 to 4 October and Singapore from 9 to 11 October. Hadjar will face immediate physical demands across the three back-to-back events as he rejoins Verstappen in the championship fight.