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Red Bull is targeting the Sept. 26 Azerbaijan Grand Prix for driver Isack Hadjar’s return from a wrist injury.
Hadjar, 21, will miss his third consecutive Formula 1 race at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
“It was an easy one,” team principal Laurent Mekies told Sky Sports of continuing to rest the Frenchman. “He didn’t feel that he was 100%, and that’s the only criteria we use. Are you 100%? So it was an easy one for here.
“We have always said we will prioritize him coming back at 100%. There was no point in throwing him into a track like here, not feeling good and potentially delaying his full recovery. So that’s the assessment we made.”
Liam Lawson will once again replace Hadjar in the Red Bull lineup alongside teammate and four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
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Mekies said it made sense to take advantage of the two-week break before Azerbaijan.
“We have a bit more time before Baku,” he said. “Honestly, there is nothing wrong with his recovery. The recovery is going as planned. Some things take time, and we will take the time to evaluate before Baku and to put him on the sim.”
Hadjar was injured while training over the F1 summer break. He has three top-five finishes in 11 starts this season and ranks eighth in the drivers’ standings.
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–Field Level Media
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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 10:37 AM.