Hadjar sidelined for Monza as injury healing continues

Red Bull has opted for caution over urgency, confirming that Isack Hadjar will miss this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix as the 21-year-old continues his recovery from a wrist injury.

Hadjar picked up the injury while training during the summer break ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix and, despite making progress since then, is still experiencing discomfort. With the high-speed Monza circuit placing considerable demands on a driver’s hands and wrists, Red Bull has decided there is little to gain from rushing its young star back into the cockpit.

The Frenchman’s absence means Liam Lawson will once again step into the breach alongside Max Verstappen, having delivered an impressive seventh-place finish at Zandvoort.

Red Bull refuses to take chances

Red Bull made clear that Hadjar’s rehabilitation remains the priority, leaving the door open for a return once he is fully fit rather than imposing an arbitrary comeback date.

"Liam Lawson will drive alongside Max Verstappen at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, while Isack continues to make encouraging progress following the wrist injury sustained during the summer break.

"The team is closely monitoring his rehabilitation and will take no unnecessary risks with his return to competition and wishes him a speedy recovery."

The decision also leaves the Racing Bulls line-up unchanged for Monza. Lawson’s replacement in the junior team will again be Yuki Tsunoda, who will share the VCARB with Arvid Lindblad.

For Hadjar, meanwhile, the immediate question is whether another week will be enough to put him back in contention for next weekend’s inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring. Red Bull has yet to commit to that possibility, and the team’s cautious approach suggests the Frenchman will only return when there is no lingering concern over his wrist.

Lawson gets another opportunity

Lawson now has another chance to impress in the senior Red Bull machinery after making the most of his unexpected opportunity in the Netherlands.

His seventh-place result at Zandvoort offered Red Bull a welcome boost and gives the New Zealander a second consecutive weekend alongside Verstappen, although the circumstances surrounding his latest promotion are considerably less dramatic than the previous driver reshuffles seen within the Red Bull camp.

• Read also: Lawson admits Red Bull comeback not as ‘comfortable’ as it looked

Verstappen himself will sit out Friday's opening practice session, with Ayumu Iwasa taking over the four-time world champion’s RB22. It will be Iwasa’s third FP1 appearance of the season after previous outings in Red Bull machinery at Barcelona and Austria.

For now, however, Red Bull’s message on Hadjar is straightforward: progress is encouraging, but there is no prize for coming back too soon.

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