Lawson Replaces Injured Hadjar at Red Bull for Dutch GP

Red Bull Racing have made a late driver change ahead of this weekend's Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, confirming that Liam Lawson will step in for the injured Isack Hadjar. The Frenchman suffered a wrist injury during a gym session in the summer break, ruling him out of the Zandvoort round.

The news broke on Wednesday morning, with Red Bull quickly making the decision official. For Hadjar, it is a bitter blow, as Zandvoort is the very circuit where he scored his only F1 podium so far—a third-place finish with Racing Bulls during his impressive rookie campaign in 2025.

A statement from Red Bull read: "Red Bull Racing driver Isack Hadjar has sustained a wrist injury during summer shutdown that will prevent him from racing at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix. We will be welcoming back Liam Lawson, who will replace him in RB22 this weekend. The team wishes Isack a speedy recovery and thanks Liam for stepping in on short notice."

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For Lawson, this is another shot at being Max Verstappen's teammate, a role he held for the first two rounds of 2025 before being demoted back to Racing Bulls. Now 24, the New Zealander returns with more maturity and has impressed this season with the sister squad, sitting ninth in the standings after 11 rounds, scoring points in all but three races.

The driver shuffle also brings Yuki Tsunoda back to the F1 grid for this weekend. The Japanese driver, who lost his seat for 2026 after a tough year alongside Verstappen, will race for Racing Bulls in Zandvoort alongside Arvid Lindblad.

Racing Bulls confirmed the move, expressing gratitude to both Lawson and Tsunoda for their adaptability. Tsunoda, with 111 grand prix starts under his belt, is reportedly in talks for an IndyCar seat with Meyer Shank Racing in 2027, but for now, his focus returns to the cockpit under unexpected circumstances.