Red Bull Driver Set To Miss Race at Monza Due to Injury

Unfortunately for Isack Hadjar, he will miss his second straight race due to a wrist injury. 

According to Chris Medland, a reputable Formula One journalist, Red Bull Racing has confirmed that Liam Lawson will continue to drive for the team in Monza. They didn't want to take any "unnecessary risks" with Hadjar's recovery. 

Hadjar, who has been mightily consistent this season, sustained a small wrist fracture during a training session over the summer break. It might be that the Frenchman is still experiencing pain in his wrist, or that Red Bull is just taking a very cautious approach.

And yes, we're all for Hadjar's full, patient recovery. Even MotoGP legend Marc Marquez directly advised Hadjar not to rush his return.

But the injury couldn't come at a worse time, as Hadjar has recently produced an excellent string of performances before the summer break. He is currently P8 in the Drivers' Standings, scoring a total of 68 points. Moreover, he finished at least P6 in his last seven races, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in Monaco.

Liam Lawson was a revelation in Zandvoort, as he was one of the positive surprises in the Dutch GP. He qualified P8 on Saturday, just behind teammate Max Verstappen. Then, with Verstappen crashing out very early on Sunday, Lawson took it upon himself to save some points for Red Bull.

He finished the race in seventh place, scoring nine points for the main team. It's a stark contrast to when he struggled in his two races for Red Bull last season. The Kiwi driver could only muster a DNF and 12th-place finish back then.

This also means that reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda will retain his seat in the Racing Bulls, at least for the upcoming weekend. Tsunoda impressed in his first race this season, finishing ahead of teammate Arvid Lindblad in the Dutch Grand Prix. That's quite a feat for a driver who is learning how to drive a new F1 car, especially in Zandvoort where the grid just had one practice session.

If the Japanese driver can perform better and even score points at Monza, that would go a long way in improving his chances of getting back to the main grid in 2027. It will be improbable, but we've surely seen sillier seasons in the history of Formula One.