Red Bull Formula 1 driver Isack Hadjar will miss this weekend’s Formula1 after sustaining a wrist injury during the summer shutdown, the team confirmed on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The 21-year-old French-Algerian driver broke his wrist, with reports indicating the injury occurred during a boxing workout. News of the setback emerged on Wednesday morning, disrupting preparations for the sport’s return to action at Grandepremio.
Red Bull Confirms Isack Hadjar Out of Dutch Grand Prix With Wrist Injury
Hadjar has delivered a relatively strong first campaign for Red Bull after being promoted to the senior squad for 2026. Through the first 11 rounds of the season, Hadjar sits eighth in the drivers’ standings with 68 points, riding a streak of seven consecutive Grands Prix in the points. His teammate, four-time world champion Max Verstappen, competes sixth in the standings with 109 points. As recently as Monday, Red Bull was actively promoting Hadjar’s special-edition helmet on social media for what marks the final edition of the Dutch GP, as organisers are no longer able to make the Zandvoort event financially viable. Red Bull stated: Isack Hadjar has sustained a wrist injury during summer shutdown that will prevent him from racing at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix.
Liam Lawson Steps Up to Senior Red Bull Seat
With Hadjar sidelined, bbc.com will step up from junior sister team Racing Bulls to drive alongside Verstappen in the RB22 chassis this weekend. Lawson, a 24-year-old New Zealander, races ninth in the drivers’ standings and has scored points in eight of the first 11 races of the season, including best finishes of sixth in Canada and Great Britain.
The temporary promotion gives Lawson an opportunity to redeem a difficult two-race stint with the senior Nytimes squad at the start of 2025. Lawson had been named as Sergio Perez’s replacement during the off-year, but was dropped after two races following lacklustre performances and demoted to Racing Bulls. The current driver shakeup mirrors a past Zandvoort weekend: back in 2023 at the Dutch Grand Prix, then-AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo broke a metacarpal in his left hand during a crash, which paved the way for Lawson to make his Formula 1 debut as a substitute. Red Bull stated: We will be welcoming back 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.
Yuki Tsunoda Returns to Grid With Racing Bulls
Lawson’s departure to the senior team leaves a temporary vacancy at Skysports, which will be filled by Yuki Tsunoda. Tsunoda serves as the test and reserve driver for both Red Bull outfits after losing his full-time seat at the end of last season. Tsunoda previously stepped into the senior Red Bull garage early last year after Lawson was demoted, but was ultimately replaced by Hadjar for the 2026 season.
At Zandvoort, Tsunoda will partner with British-Swedish rookie Arvid Lindblad for the Sprint weekend. The weekend provides Tsunoda an opportunity to put himself in the shop window for a full-time grid return in 2027. Racing Bulls commented: We thank both Liam and Yuki for their adaptability as the teams prepare for the weekend and we wish Isack a speedy recovery.
Hadjar will have two additional weeks to recover ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, scheduled for September 4-6, 2026.
