Just in: Red Bull star injured and ruled out for Dutch Gp as replacement announced… Read more

Red Bull has confirmed that Isack Hadjar will miss the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix after suffering a wrist injury during a gym session while Formula 1 drivers were on their summer break.

The injury is a setback for the French-Algerian driver, who has impressed during his debut season with Red Bull. Hadjar’s absence was first reported by ESPN before Red Bull subsequently confirmed that he would be unable to compete at Zandvoort.

With Hadjar ruled out, Red Bull has moved quickly to find a replacement. Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson will step up to the senior Red Bull team for the Dutch Grand Prix, giving the New Zealander another opportunity to compete at the front of the Formula 1 field.

Lawson’s promotion, however, creates a vacancy at Racing Bulls. That seat will be filled by Yuki Tsunoda, who currently serves as a reserve driver for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls.

The reshuffle provides Tsunoda with an unexpected return to a race seat after losing his full-time Red Bull drive. His experience with Racing Bulls and knowledge of the team should help him adapt quickly when he returns to the cockpit.

For Lawson, the weekend represents another important chance to demonstrate his capabilities in Red Bull machinery. The New Zealander has already experienced life with the senior team and will now be tasked with delivering a strong performance under considerable pressure.

Meanwhile, Hadjar’s priority will be recovering from the wrist injury and returning to full fitness. His absence comes at an unfortunate time as the Formula 1 season enters a crucial phase following the summer break.

The changes mean the Dutch Grand Prix will feature a significantly altered Red Bull driver line-up, with Lawson moving into Hadjar’s seat and Tsunoda returning to Racing Bulls.

The situation also highlights the importance of Red Bull’s driver programme and its reserve-driver structure, allowing the organisation to react quickly when an unexpected injury affects one of its race drivers.

Attention will now turn to Zandvoort, where Lawson will aim to make the most of his opportunity with Red Bull, while Tsunoda will look to make a strong impression on his Racing Bulls return.