Red Bull Brings Hadjar Back for Azerbaijan GP
Yahoo Sports
The short version
- Isack Hadjar returns to race for Red Bull at the Azerbaijan GP in Baku, partnering Max Verstappen.
- He missed the Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid rounds with a wrist injury and was cleared after a simulator test and medical approval.
- Liam Lawson goes back to Racing Bulls alongside Arvid Lindblad; Yuki Tsunoda moves to reserve duties.
- Red Bull thanked Lawson for his performances across the three-race stint.
- The cause and exact nature of the wrist injury have not been disclosed.
Isack Hadjar rejoins Max Verstappen at Red Bull in Baku after sitting out three races, with Liam Lawson heading back to Racing Bulls.
Red Bull has confirmed that Isack Hadjar will be back on the grid at the Azerbaijan GP, teaming up with Max Verstappen at the Baku City Circuit beginning Thursday. The French driver had been sidelined for three rounds — Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid — while recovering from a wrist injury, and has now received medical clearance along with a successful simulator session.
His comeback triggers a reshuffle further down the paddock. Liam Lawson, who deputized over the past three races, moves back to Racing Bulls alongside Arvid Lindblad, while Yuki Tsunoda shifts into a reserve role. Both stand-ins scored valuable points during their respective stints, according to the report.
Team principal Laurent Mekies had deliberately allowed Hadjar extra time to recover after the Spanish GP, and the driver admitted the past month had been unfamiliar territory. "It's the first time in my life that I've not been racing and that's a weird feeling to get used to," Hadjar said, adding that he never wanted to rush the decision on his return.
Details of how the injury occurred have not been made public, and questions remain over how much it will affect his form after roughly two months away from competition.
Written by the Matchday Live desk from reporting by Yahoo Sports.
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