Lawson's Unexpected F1 Return
Liam Lawson Steps Up for Injured Hadjar at Red Bull for Dutch Grand Prix
Key Points
Speculation persists that Bulgarian teenager Nikola Tsolov could challenge Liam Lawson for a Racing Bulls seat next season, though Racing Bulls has denied these claims.
Hadjar sustained a wrist injury in gym training; Red Bull officials say the injury is not thought to be serious and they hopeful he can return at Monza, two weeks after Zandvoort.
Zandvoort as a sprint weekend means only a single practice session is available on Friday night, constraining pre-race preparation for the Red Bull lineup.
Lawson previously made his F1 debut at Zandvoort in 2023, standing in for Daniel Ricciardo after a wrist injury and finishing P13 before staying in the seat for four races.
Yuki Tsunoda remains Red Bull’s test and reserve driver for 2026, and if Lawson steps into Hadjar’s seat, Tsunoda would return to Racing Bulls to fill Lawson’s position.
Liam Lawson is set to return to Red Bull Racing for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, standing in for Isack Hadjar, who suffered a wrist injury during gym training, according to Planet F1 and news.gp. Red Bull officials say the injury is not thought to be serious, with Hadjar hoping to return at Monza — two weeks after Zandvoort.
The move triggers a chain reaction across the Red Bull family. Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull's test and reserve driver for 2026, would step back into his old Racing Bulls seat to fill the gap left by Lawson, Just Jared reported.
Lawson's High-Profile Return to the Senior Team
This will be Lawson's second stint in the Red Bull seat. He was dropped from the team earlier in 2025 after a difficult run of races and sent back to Racing Bulls. Since then, he has rebuilt his standing within the Red Bull junior program, news.ssbcrack.com reported.
The Dutch GP also holds personal history for Lawson. He made his Formula 1 debut at Zandvoort in 2023, filling in for Daniel Ricciardo after — coincidentally — a wrist injury. Lawson finished P13 that day and went on to hold the seat for four races, according to Just Jared.
Hadjar's Injury and the Monza Recovery Timeline
Hadjar hurt his wrist in a gym session ahead of the summer break. Red Bull does not believe the injury is serious, but the team ruled him out of Zandvoort as a precaution, Planet F1 reported. The target is for Hadjar to be back in the car for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
If Hadjar's recovery runs longer than expected, Red Bull and Racing Bulls will need to decide whether Lawson or Tsunoda covers subsequent races. No firm plan beyond Zandvoort has been confirmed publicly, according to news.gp.
Sprint Weekend Limits Practice Time for Stand-In Drivers
Zandvoort is a sprint weekend on the 2026 calendar. That means only one practice session runs on Friday evening before the action begins in earnest. For a stand-in driver jumping into an unfamiliar car, that leaves very little time to get up to speed, according to Planet F1.
Lawson is not a complete stranger to the Red Bull RB car, having raced it earlier in 2025. But the compressed schedule still puts pressure on the team to brief him quickly and dial in the car setup without the usual runway of practice laps, WDCNews6 noted.
Tsunoda's Role and Lawson's Future at Racing Bulls
Tsunoda was moved from Racing Bulls to a Red Bull reserve role for 2026. His return to Racing Bulls for the Dutch GP is a short-term fix, not a permanent move. Red Bull has been careful to keep both drivers available and ready, news.ssbcrack.com reported.
Looking further ahead, speculation has swirled about Lawson's 2027 prospects. Racing Bulls has denied reports that Bulgarian teenager Nikola Tsolov could push Lawson out of his seat next season. Lawson, for now, stays focused on performing whenever a Red Bull opportunity comes his way, according to Planet F1.
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