HADJAR OUT AGAIN. LAWSON STAYS—TSUNODA GETS ANOTHER SHOT.
Hadjar will miss a second consecutive race, keeping Lawson at Red Bull and Tsunoda at Racing Bulls. After publicly asking teams to call him for 2027, Monza gives Tsunoda another opportunity to make his case.
Isack Hadjar will miss a second consecutive Formula 1 weekend as he continues recovering from the wrist injury that ruled him out at Zandvoort.
That keeps Red Bull’s emergency driver reshuffle intact for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix: Liam Lawson will remain alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, while Yuki Tsunoda continues with Racing Bulls at Monza.
For Lawson, it is another opportunity to make an impression in the RB22. For Tsunoda, it is another valuable race weekend as he attempts to show that he deserves a full-time return to the Formula 1 grid in 2027.
HADJAR’S RECOVERY COMES FIRST
Hadjar sustained the wrist injury during the summer break, ruling him out of the Dutch Grand Prix. Although Red Bull says the Frenchman is making encouraging progress, the team has decided not to rush his return.
Hadjar had expressed hope that he might recover in time for Monza after reporting improved movement in his injured wrist at Zandvoort. Red Bull, however, said it “will take no unnecessary risks” with his return to competition.
That decision will keep Hadjar out for a second straight race. There is currently no confirmed timetable for his return beyond the team continuing to monitor his recovery.
LAWSON GETS ANOTHER RED BULL WEEKEND
Lawson stepped into Hadjar’s car at short notice in the Netherlands and produced a solid result under difficult circumstances.
Despite having limited preparation time in the RB22, the New Zealander brought the car home in seventh place at Zandvoort. Lawson acknowledged afterward that adapting quickly to the Red Bull had been challenging. With Hadjar not yet ready to return, Lawson will remain in the RB22 for Monza.
Lawson will therefore get a second consecutive weekend alongside Verstappen at the senior Red Bull team.
The opportunity should not be interpreted as confirmation of a permanent change. Lawson is substituting for an injured driver, and Hadjar remains Red Bull’s regular race driver. Nevertheless, every additional session gives Lawson valuable experience in the RB22.
Monza will present a very different test from Zandvoort. Its high-speed layout, heavy braking zones and low-downforce configuration will demand another rapid adjustment from Lawson and the Red Bull engineers working around him.
TSUNODA GETS ANOTHER CHANCE TO MAKE HIS CASE
Lawson’s continued move to Red Bull means Tsunoda will receive a second consecutive race with Racing Bulls.
The Japanese driver returned to the grid at Zandvoort after losing his full-time Formula 1 seat at the end of 2025. He qualified close to teammate Arvid Lindblad and finished 11th, narrowly missing the final championship point.
Tsunoda has made no secret of his objective. Before returning at Zandvoort, he said, “Obviously I would love to have a seat next year.” After the race, his message to teams still evaluating their future lineups was even more direct: “Call me, please!”
Monza now gives him another opportunity to support that message with a complete race weekend.
There is no public confirmation that Tsunoda is negotiating with a team or has received an offer for 2027. His Italian Grand Prix appearance should therefore be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen his case—not evidence that a permanent return is already being arranged.
A second weekend in the Racing Bulls car should provide a clearer measure of his current form. Unlike Zandvoort, where he entered the weekend at short notice, Tsunoda arrives at Monza with recent race mileage, current knowledge of the car and a full Grand Prix weekend already behind him.
For now, the confirmed picture is straightforward: Hadjar’s return will be determined by his recovery, Lawson stays in the Red Bull for Monza, and Tsunoda receives another race—not yet a contract—to demonstrate that he still belongs on the Formula 1 grid.
