Isack Hadjar could miss more rounds in 2026

This is not how Hadjar thought his return to racing would have gone following his injury during the summer break.

Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson was called up to Red Bull once again to replace the injured Frenchman for the Dutch Grand Prix, as Yuki Tsunoda filled in for Liam at Racing Bulls aside Arvid Lindblad. It seems even more likely that this arrangement will carry on into the Italian Grand Prix next week.

This would be a blow to Hadjar as he had hoped to return in time for Monza, however there are concerns about putting too much stress on his injured wrist too soon and potentially making the problem worse and leading to a longer absence. The layout of Monza is clockwise and therefore demands more of the left wrist. Additionally, it is known as the “Temple of Speed” for a reason and there are some high speed corners that will add even more strain.

Monza is to take place on September 4-6th. The high speed nature of the circuit presents issues.

No final official decision has been made and as the race is next week, the team still have time to monitor the situation. Red Bull have decided to keep Liam Lawson at Red Bull ahead of Monza in case Hadjar is not fit to race, so it is definitely a possibility they are considering.

Assuming Red Bull do want Lawson to fill in, this leaves room for Yuki Tsunoda to once again race in Formula One in the 2026 season. This comes at an important time for the Japanese driver who is making decisions about his future. He has been linked to Haas and is allegedly a driver in serious contention for 2027 following Esteban Ocon’s performance dip this year. If he gets another opportunity to show he can drive this new regulation of cars, he might give himself a chance to get back to full time racing.

This situation could be opening the door back into F1 for Tsunoda