Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies has affirmed that Isack Hadjar's recovery from injury is proceeding as planned, despite the Frenchman having missed the last three Formula 1 grands prix. Hadjar injured his wrist during training over the summer break and has been replaced by Liam Lawson, with reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda standing in at Racing Bulls.
Interaction with seven-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez, who infamously struggled with injury for years, convinced the French sophomore he shouldn't rush his return to action. Marquez broke his humerus in the 2020 Jerez opener, tried to partake in the next race, and ended up sidelined for the remainder of the season. That cautionary tale weighed heavily on Hadjar's decision-making.
Asked after Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix how Hadjar was doing and what his odds to race in Baku were, Mekies smiled: "Isack is good, he's downstairs right now. Joke aside, there is nothing wrong with Isack's recovery. I think we have learned that it's fundamentally a normal time for the sort of injuries he has, so we will continue with the same approach than what we had. We will evaluate the situations in a week's time. We have a bit more than a full week to evaluate the situations, to see how he feels, and then to put him on the simulator, to expose him to real-life constraints. If he feels close to 100%, we go for it; if he feels the recovery is not completed, we will stick on our approach to put his recovery first. What we don't want to do is, by having an early return, compromise his long-term capacity to come back to 100%."
In the meantime, Lawson will again be rather busy as the New Zealander is required to prepare for the next event with both teams, to account for any development in Hadjar's situation. "It's a lot of time at the factory and doing a lot of extra preparations," Lawson admitted. "I think this week off won't be much of a week off." Asked if he was looking forward to getting back to his own car, he clarified: "I mean, it's more the prep. Doing prep for both is a bit difficult, and getting used to different cars. Coming to the end of the [Madrid] weekend now, I feel quite comfortable in this car. But just going forward, it's the unknown all the way up to the race weekends. Probably all the way up to Wednesday or Thursday for Baku will be, potentially, when that's decided, and that's quite tricky to mentally prepare for what car I'm going to drive. But, at the same time, like I said, the more time I drive this, I get more comfortable. Going back now will be quite tough. It's completely different to drive."
Lawson has scored 14 points across his three grands prix at Red Bull, cementing his ninth position in the drivers' standings. He's now just 12 points adrift of Hadjar. With Lawson's solid performances, pressure on Hadjar to return quickly might mount, but the team remains steadfast in its approach not to rush him back.
Red Bull's decision to prioritise Hadjar's recovery reflects a mature approach rarely seen in the paddock. Wrist injuries can be particularly troublesome for F1 drivers, given the extreme physical demands of steering. With a packed calendar, including the street circuit of Baku that requires high precision, returning too soon could risk aggravating the injury. Red Bull's management seems to have learned from past mistakes, both from their own drivers' experiences and from Marquez's case in MotoGP.
For Lawson, this situation offers a valuable opportunity to showcase his abilities at a top team. Despite having to adapt to two different cars, he has proven competitive. However, pressure remains as every race is a chance to secure his F1 future. Meanwhile, Hadjar must make good use of his recovery time to return competitive once declared fit.
Red Bull will continue to monitor Hadjar's progress over the coming days. The final decision regarding his participation in the Baku Grand Prix will be made after thorough evaluation, including simulator and physical tests. One thing is clear: the team will not take unnecessary risks for short-term gains.
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