Isack Hadjar to Miss Dutch GP as Yuki Tsunoda Returns to the Grid.
On Wednesday, Red Bull officially confirmed the absence of Isack Hadjar from the Dutch GP, along with the return of Yuki Tsunoda to the grid. After the long summer break, we enter another race week at Zandvoort, which will also be marked as the final year for the Dutch GP on the F1 calendar.
This will be the last time Max Verstappen will be able to race at his home ground, while this was supposed to be the first race at Zandvoort for Isack Hadjar with Red Bull. Not to forget, Hadjar also scored his maiden podium here last season, and supposedly even prevented a special helmet for this race, designed to honour the circuit that has already treated him so well.
Unfortunately, this season he has evidently injured his wrist, which will prevent him from being part of this weekend. Hadjar’s absence comes at an unfortunate time, especially considering his connection with the Zandvoort circuit. Last season, while driving for Racing Bulls, Hadjar managed to finish third at the Dutch GP and secure his first-ever Formula 1 podium. It was an important moment in his young career, making his absence from this year’s race even more unfortunate.
This was also supposed to be a different experience for Hadjar this time around. After being promoted to Red Bull for the 2026 season, the Dutch GP would have given him his first opportunity to race the RB22 at Zandvoort. Instead, he will have to watch from the sidelines as the team continues without him for the weekend.
Further, Red Bull has also confirmed Liam Lawson as the replacement for Hadjar, and he will now be driving the RB22 this weekend. Lawson will return to the senior Red Bull team for what will be an unexpected opportunity after the summer break. The New Zealander has already had experience with the team, making this return somewhat familiar, but the timing leaves him with very little time to prepare.
This means finding a replacement for Lawson as well at Racing Bulls, which has also been confirmed. Yuki Tsunoda returns to the grid with his former team to take Lawson’s place for the Dutch GP. Tsunoda’s return adds another interesting element to the situation, considering that he had previously raced for Red Bull before being replaced by Hadjar for the 2026 season.
The driver changes also come during a Sprint weekend, making the situation even more challenging for everyone involved. With a more compressed race weekend format, Lawson will have less time than usual to settle back into the Red Bull car, while Tsunoda will also have to quickly adapt to returning to Racing Bulls.
For Hadjar, however, the priority will now be his recovery. Missing a race is never ideal, especially at a circuit that holds such an important place in his Formula 1 career. The hope for both the team and the driver will be that the wrist injury heals quickly and that he can return to the grid as soon as possible.
Red Bull has thanked both Lawson and Tsunoda for being so quick to adapt to this situation, while they wish Hadjar a fast recovery.
What was supposed to be a significant weekend for Hadjar at a circuit where he had already achieved one of the biggest milestones of his career has now turned into an unexpected absence. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Lawson and Tsunoda as they step into their temporary roles at Red Bull and Racing Bulls respectively.
Feature image credit: Pinterest
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