Isack Hadjar has reportedly picked up a wrist injury during a gym session in the summer break, and it looks almost certain to cost him his spot at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix. In his place, Liam Lawson gets dragged back into the Red Bull garage for at least one race weekend, with Yuki Tsunoda slotting into Racing Bulls to complete the now-familiar Red Bull driver carousel.
A Brutal Bit of Timing
Zandvoort was supposed to be a special occasion for Hadjar. He claimed his first F1 podium here last year, and had even commissioned a custom helmet referencing the trophy that snapped in two after the race. Instead, he is watching from the sidelines. As reported by The Race, the injury was sustained in a gym session, which is the kind of detail that will keep team managers awake at night. A final medical check will determine whether the decision is official, but few are expecting a last-minute recovery.
Lawson’s Second Bite at the Cherry
For Lawson, this is a peculiar kind of second chance. He lasted just two races at Red Bull in early 2025 before being shipped back to the junior team. Since then he has quietly rebuilt his reputation at Racing Bulls, scoring points nine times and sitting ninth in the championship with 43 points. Whether that consistency translates into a Red Bull-worthy performance alongside Verstappen is the question nobody can quite answer yet.
There is also a neat historical footnote here. Lawson made his F1 debut at Zandvoort three years ago, stepping in for Daniel Ricciardo after Ricciardo broke his hand in practice. This time the circuit owes him nothing, and Red Bull’s expectations will be considerably less forgiving than they were for a debut call-up.
Tsunoda Gets a Way Back In
Yuki Tsunoda, currently serving as the Red Bull family’s reserve driver after losing his seat at the end of 2025, will fill Lawson’s Racing Bulls seat for the weekend. It is his first race appearance since Abu Dhabi last year, and it arrives in the same week he was linked to a 2027 IndyCar seat. One door may be opening just as another one creaks shut.
Red Bull’s Constructors Problem Gets Worse
None of this is ideal for Red Bull. They sit fourth in the constructors’ standings on 177 points, a long way behind Mercedes on 379. Hadjar has been their most consistent points contributor alongside Verstappen this season. Losing him for a sprint weekend at a track that suits neither car nor morale is a headache they did not need. The team will be hoping to have him back for Monza, two weeks later. For now, though, it is Lawson’s problem to solve, and Red Bull’s patience to test.
