Red Bull's Isack Hadjar will miss the Dutch Grand Prix through injury and Liam Lawson is stepping up in his place -- a scenario which gives Yuki Tsunoda a Formula 1 return opportunity.
Hadjar sustained a wrist injury in a gym session during F1's summer break. ESPN originally reported the news on Wednesday morning, and it was later confirmed by Red Bull.
New Zealander Lawson steps up from Racing Bulls to take his place, while Tsunoda, who is officially reserve driver for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls, is taking Lawson's spot.
The move means Lawson has still not had a full season at one team since his debut at the same venue, the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix.
He did five races after replacing Daniel Ricciardo -- also after a wrist injury, sustained in a crash during practice at Zandvoort that year -- until the Australian was fit enough to return.
The following year he was not given a race seat until he replaced Ricciardo again after that year's Singapore Grand Prix, this time for good rather than as injury replacement. His performances in the next six races earned him a promotion to Red Bull for 2025, but that lasted just two races before he was unceremoniously bumped back down do Racing Bulls due to poor form.
Despite his topsy turvy career, Racing Bulls opted to keep him after impressing in the tail end of 2025. Team boss Alan Permane said the company felt Lawson deserved a full and uninterrupted season at one team -- his move up to Red Bull for Zandvoort has denied him that again.
The decision to promote him and put Tsunoda into Racing Bulls will raise questions, although Lawson's experience of F1's new cars and complicated new engines will be important in helping him get up to speed quickly
Lawson has revived his F1 career since that demotion and this year is ninth in the championship, one position and 25 points behind Hadjar.
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Lawson's replacement in 2025 was Tsunoda, but the Japanese driver was left without a race seat altogether this season after being replaced by Hadjar at Red Bull and being left out of Racing Bulls' line up -- the junior team gave Lawson another contract and promoted rookie Arvid Lindblad.
Tsunoda had been in line for a Haas race seat before the team opted to stick with Esteban Ocon for 2026, meaning he had to settle for a sideline role as Red Bull's reserve driver this year.
The severity of Hadjar's injury is unclear but the news comes ahead of a gruelling schedule of races. There is a week off after the Dutch Grand Prix, before a double header of races in Monza and Madrid, then another week off before six races across the following seven weeks
