Isack Hadjar will miss this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix as he continues to recover from the wrist injury he suffered during the summer break.
Red Bull has confirmed that the Frenchman is making progress, but the team is not prepared to rush his return. As a result, Liam Lawson will once again take Hadjar’s place alongside Max Verstappen at Monza.
The decision means Hadjar will miss a second consecutive Grand Prix after also missing Zandvoort, where Lawson stepped into the RB22 and finished seventh.
Red Bull says Hadjar’s recovery is being monitored closely, with the team making it clear that his long-term fitness remains the priority.
“The team is closely monitoring his rehabilitation and will take no unnecessary risks with his return to competition.”
Hadjar’s absence is a frustrating setback at a point in the season where continuity is increasingly important. With the championship moving into its latter stages, every missed race means lost track time and fewer opportunities to build momentum.
For Lawson, though, Monza presents another valuable opportunity.
After being drafted in at short notice for the Dutch Grand Prix, the New Zealander handled the difficult conditions well and brought the car home in seventh. With a full race weekend already completed in the Red Bull car, he should arrive in Italy with a better understanding of the car and more confidence in what he can extract from it.
Hadjar’s continued absence also keeps Yuki Tsunoda on the grid for another weekend, with the Japanese driver again taking Lawson’s place at Racing Bulls.
Tsunoda narrowly missed out on points at Zandvoort after finishing 11th and will now get another chance to impress at Monza.
Red Bull has given no indication that it intends to accelerate Hadjar’s return, meaning his comeback will depend entirely on when he’s fit enough to race without compromising his rehabilitation.
