Isack Hadjar Returns to Red Bull for Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Isack Hadjar will climb back into a Red Bull cockpit at this week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, ending a three‑race spell on the sidelines after a wrist injury suffered while boxing.

The 21-year-old Frenchman, one of the most highly regarded youngsters in the Red Bull system, has been cleared for a “full recovery” and returns to partner four-time world champion Max Verstappen on the streets of Baku from 24-26 September.

His absence opened the door for Liam Lawson. The New Zealander was drafted in for Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid and did exactly what a title-chasing team needed from a stand-in: keep the car in the points fight and the operation steady.

Lawson, 24, delivered a composed seventh place at Zandvoort and then went one better with sixth in Madrid, underlining why Red Bull continue to invest in him. Monza was the outlier – a frustrating run to 14th and no points on a circuit that punishes even the smallest misstep.

Red Bull made a point of publicly acknowledging his impact, praising Lawson’s “professionalism, dedication and hard work” and highlighting the “impressive performances” he produced under pressure. Thrown into a front-running car with little notice, he kept his head and added useful data and stability at a crucial stage of the season.

The reward is continuity, if not in the senior team. With Hadjar back, Lawson now returns to Red Bull’s junior outfit Racing Bulls, where his task is clear: keep pushing, keep winning internal battles, and stay firmly in the frame for any future vacancy.

For Hadjar, Baku marks more than a medical green light. He comes back eighth in the drivers’ standings with 71 points on the board, a solid platform in his first full campaign at the sharp end. Now he must prove that the layoff has not blunted his edge.

Street circuits are unforgiving. Baku, with its walls, long straights and tight castle section, will test both his fitness and his confidence from the first practice lap. Back alongside Verstappen, in one of the sport’s most demanding seats, Hadjar’s next phase starts here – with no time for ring rust.