Hadjar Returns to Red Bull Cockpit for Azerbaijan GP

Isack Hadjar is back. The 21-year-old Frenchman will return to the Red Bull cockpit at this week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after three races on the sidelines with a wrist injury.

Hadjar, who hurt his wrist while boxing, missed the rounds in the Netherlands, Monza and Madrid, with New Zealander Liam Lawson drafted in as cover. Red Bull have now confirmed Hadjar has made a “full recovery” and will reclaim the seat for Baku from 24-26 September.

For Lawson, it marks the end of a sharp, high-pressure audition. Thrown in mid-season, he responded with points finishes in two of his three outings: seventh in Zandvoort and sixth in Madrid. Monza was the outlier, a difficult afternoon that ended in 14th and outside the points.

Red Bull made a point of saluting his impact, praising his “professionalism, dedication and hard work” and highlighting the “impressive performances” he produced under difficult circumstances. The message was clear: he did what was asked, and he did it well.

Now the door swings back open for Hadjar.

He returns to action alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen, stepping straight back into one of the most scrutinised seats on the grid. Despite his enforced break, Hadjar sits eighth in the drivers’ standings with 71 points, a solid platform as the season heads into its decisive phase.

Lawson will not disappear from the picture. After his stint with the senior team, he moves back to Red Bull’s junior outfit, Racing Bulls, where his recent form will only strengthen his case for a full-time future.

Baku, with its concrete walls, long straights and unforgiving castle section, is no gentle reintroduction. For Hadjar, though, it is exactly the kind of stage on which Red Bull expect their young talents to prove they belong.