Red Bull are set to make a late driver change for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix after Isack Hadjar suffered a hand injury during Formula One’s summer break.
The Frenchman is expected to miss the action at Zandvoort after reportedly breaking his hand while boxing, forcing Red Bull to reshuffle their driver line-up.
Liam Lawson is poised to step up from sister team Racing Bulls and partner Max Verstappen for the weekend.
Yuki Tsunoda, who currently serves as Red Bull’s reserve driver after losing his race seat at the end of last season, is then expected to replace Lawson at Racing Bulls.
Red Bull have yet to formally confirm the changes and have so far only indicated that Hadjar is “likely” to miss the Dutch Grand Prix.
Details surrounding the 21-year-old’s condition have also not officially been disclosed by the team.
However, Hadjar is understood to have sustained the injury during a boxing session over the summer break, leaving him unable to take his place alongside Verstappen.
Red Bull are set to make a late driver change for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix after Isack Hadjar suffered a hand injury during Formula One’s summer break
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The situation potentially hands Lawson an unexpected opportunity to return to Red Bull after his previous spell with the senior team ended abruptly.
The New Zealander began the 2025 campaign alongside Verstappen and had initially been expected to retain the seat throughout the season.
However, two disappointing performances prompted Red Bull to demote Lawson to Racing Bulls after just two grands prix.
The F1 calendar for the 2026 season | GB NEWS/GETTY
A temporary promotion at Zandvoort would therefore offer the 24-year-old another opportunity to demonstrate what he can do alongside the four-time world champion.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, could also make an unexpected return to competitive Formula One action.
The Japanese driver was dropped by Red Bull at the conclusion of last season and subsequently took up a reserve role with the team.
The disruption comes at a difficult point in Red Bull’s campaign following a challenging opening half of the 2026 season.
Verstappen is remarkably still searching for his first victory of the year, with second-place finishes at the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix representing his best results so far.
That comes after the Dutchman narrowly missed out on a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship last season.
Isack Hadjar has blown hot and cold this season
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Verstappen staged a remarkable recovery during the second half of 2025, overturning more than 100 points of his deficit in the standings before ultimately finishing just two points behind McLaren’s Lando Norris.
This weekend will nevertheless carry additional significance for Verstappen regardless of Red Bull’s struggles.
The 28-year-old is preparing to contest his home Dutch Grand Prix for the final time, with Zandvoort due to disappear from the Formula One calendar after the 2026 race.
Organisers have decided they can no longer make the event financially viable beyond this season.
