The Frenchman returns after recovering from his wrist injury and forms a pairing with Verstappen again. The team thanks Lawson for his professionalism and dedication during the three races in which he replaced the French driver.
Red Bull has confirmed the return of Isack Hadjar for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the French driver, who missed the Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid events due to a wrist injury suffered during the summer break has successfully completed his rehabilitation process and has been declared fit to compete again. His return means the restoration of the Austrian team's starting lineup with Hadjar alongside Max Verstappen from the weekend in Baku.
The news puts an end to three races of absence in which Liam Lawson occupied his seat. The New Zealander who now returns to Racing Bulls, leaves the main team with a positive balance: he scored points in two of his three appearances, with a seventh place in the Netherlands and a sixth in Madrid, his performance and his professionalism have been recognized by Red Bull in an official statement.
"Oracle Red Bull Racing is pleased to welcome Isack this weekend, after a successful recovery from his wrist injury, Isack will return to action at the Baku City Circuit on Thursday, the team wants to sincerely thank Liam for his professionalism, dedication and hard work during the last three races, stepping in under difficult circumstances, he delivered impressive performances and made a valuable contribution to the team, we wish him the best in his return to Visa Cash App Racing Bulls" read the statement.
Hadjar's return is great news for Red Bull, the Frenchman had had a solid start to the season before his injury, scoring eight results among the top ten, including a podium in Monaco and qualifying ahead of Verstappen on three occasions. His absence deprived the team of a driver in full progression and forced Lawson to assume a role for which he was not initially prepared.
Lawson, for his part, returns to Racing Bulls with high morale and the confidence of having more than fulfilled his role as a substitute. The New Zealander returns to a team where he has built a good part of his reputation in Formula 1 and where he is favorite to renew his contract ahead of 2027, however the internal competition is fierce and the irruption of Nikola Tsolov, Formula 2 leader and member of the Red Bull academy, adds pressure to his continuity.
Yuki Tsunoda, who had occupied Lawson's seat at Racing Bulls during the last three races, returns to his reserve driver duties. The Japanese has performed well in his return to competition, scoring a point in Monza and leaving good sensations behind the wheel of the Italian car.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix presents a particularity in its calendar: the first two practice sessions will be held on Thursday, September 24, while the third session and qualifying will take place on Friday, September 25. The race, agreed at 51 laps, will be held on Saturday, September 26 because Sunday commemorates Remembrance Day in Azerbaijan; an unusual format that adds an extra element of difficulty for all the teams and drivers.
Hadjar's return marks the beginning of a new stage for Red Bull in the final stretch of the season, the Austrian team recovers its starting lineup and trusts that the combination of Verstappen and Hadjar will allow it to score valuable points in the fight for the constructors' championship. The 2026 season enters its decisive phase and Red Bull wants to be in the fight until the end.
