Lawson steps in for injured Hadjar at Zandvoort as Tsunoda earns Racing Bulls recall

Liam Lawson will replace Isack Hadjar at Red Bull Racing for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort after Hadjar suffered a wrist injury during a gym session in the summer shutdown, the team confirmed on Wednesday. The change also triggers a cascade move that brings Yuki Tsunoda back into the Racing Bulls car alongside Arvid Lindblad.

Red Bull’s statement confirmed the circumstances: “Isack Hadjar has sustained a wrist injury during summer shutdown that will prevent him from racing at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix. We will be welcoming back Liam Lawson, who will replace him in the RB22 this weekend. The team wishes Isack a speedy recovery and thanks Liam for stepping in on short notice.”

The timing is particularly unfortunate for Hadjar, who claimed his only F1 podium at Zandvoort — a third place for Racing Bulls during his 2025 rookie season — making it the circuit most closely associated with his breakthrough year.

For Lawson, the call-up represents a second chance alongside Max Verstappen. The 24-year-old New Zealander started the 2025 season as Verstappen’s team-mate but was demoted back to Racing Bulls after just two rounds. He has since rebuilt his reputation steadily, sitting ninth in the standings after 11 races with points in all but three grands prix this year.

Tsunode’s return is the most unexpected element of the reshuffle. The Japanese driver, who has 111 grand prix starts to his name, lost his Red Bull seat after a difficult 2025 campaign alongside Verstappen and currently has no place on the 2026 grid. He is understood to be in talks for an IndyCar drive with Meyer Shank Racing in 2027, making this Zandvoort appearance a rare opportunity to race at the top level in the meantime.

Racing Bulls acknowledged the short-notice nature of the changes in their own statement: “We thank both Liam and Yuki for their adaptability as the teams prepare for the weekend and we wish Isack a speedy recovery.”