Isack Hadjar sat out the Dutch Grand Prix after injuring his wrist, a decision her Red Bull Racing teammate and former mechanic Calum Nicholas praised as a display of confidence rather than weakness.
Nicholas explained on the Talking Bull podcast that taking a week to recover signals “confidence that he’s got to be able to say, ‘Look, I’m not 100 per cent. I’m going to take this week out as a precaution.’” He added that the move gave Red Bull the chance to slot in Liam Lawson at the last moment.
Lawson capitalised, gaining a seventh‑place finish in a chaotic race where teammate Max Verstappen spun out on lap one. The Zandvoort weekend left the New Zealander upside‑down, while Hadjar remained present with the team, absorbing the data and supporting preparations for Monza.
Laurent Mekies confirmed that Hadjar “was with the team trying to take the learning and making sure we can push all together as strongly as we can next week in Monza.” As of the end of the race, Hadjar sits eighth in the drivers’ standings with 68 points, compared to Verstappen’s 112.
While the team still awaits confirmation, the Red Bull drivers are eyeing the Italian Grand Prix from 4–6 September. Hadjar’s early return could set the stage for his re‑integration at the high‑speed Monza circuit, keeping the championship momentum intact.
Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images.
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