Hadjar to return to action at Azerbaijan

Isack Hadjar will return to the Red Bull cockpit at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after missing the last three races with a wrist injury.

The 21-year-old has been cleared to race after completing his recovery and will resume his place alongside Max Verstappen when practice begins at the Baku City Circuit on Thursday.

Hadjar missed the Dutch, Italian and Spanish Grands Prix after fracturing his wrist while boxing during Formula 1’s three-week summer break in August. 

Liam Lawson replaced him for the three races, but the New Zealander will now return to Racing Bulls, while Yuki Tsunoda moves back into a reserve role with Red Bull.

Red Bull confirmed Hadjar’s return on Tuesday after the Frenchman completed his rehabilitation without further physical problems. 

The team had previously made it clear that it would not rush him back and wanted to make sure he was fully fit before putting him back in the car.

Hadjar also completed a simulator session last week to assess how his wrist responded to the steering and braking demands of an F1 car. With those checks complete and medical clearance granted, he got the green light to return in Baku.

The injury interrupted Hadjar’s first season as Verstappen’s teammate, with the Frenchman currently eighth in the drivers’ championship on 71 points. 

He had scored points in several races before the summer break and set himself as one of the more consistent performers among the younger drivers on the grid.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will also follow a different schedule this year. The weekend has been brought forward by a day because of Remembrance Day in the country on September 27, with practice on Thursday, qualifying on Friday and the race on Saturday at midday UK time.

Baku will also begin a triple-header, making Hadjar’s return important as Red Bull heads into a busy part of the season. 

The team can now restore its regular Verstappen-Hadjar pairing for the final stretch of the campaign.

Lawson’s three-race spell with Red Bull comes to an end after he stepped in for Hadjar, while Tsunoda returns to his previous role with the senior team.