sack Hadjar will return to Formula 1 at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, reclaiming his Red Bull seat after missing three races with a wrist injury. The Frenchman has been cleared to rejoin Max Verstappen in Baku, with the race scheduled for Saturday, September 26.
Why Hadjar missed three Grands Prix
The 21-year-old fractured his wrist during training over the summer break. According to The Sun, the injury occurred while boxing.
He subsequently missed the Dutch, Italian and Spanish Grands Prix, with Liam Lawson substituting at Red Bull while Hadjar continued his rehabilitation.
What Hadjar said about his recovery
Speaking in Baku on September 23, Hadjar explained that he had suffered a small fracture on the outside of his wrist and had not needed surgery. Although ready to resume racing, he acknowledged that his recovery would still involve discomfort.
“It’s still going to be painful for a while,” he said.
Simulator test supports his comeback
Hadjar said his simulator test had gone well and described the environment as closely matching the cockpit. That gave him confidence ahead of his return, although he acknowledged that Baku would be a challenging circuit for his comeback.
How Hadjar’s return changes Red Bull’s driver line-up
Hadjar’s availability restores the previous arrangements across Red Bull’s two Formula 1 teams:
DriverRole for the Azerbaijan Grand PrixIsack HadjarReturns to Red Bull Racing alongside Max VerstappenLiam LawsonReturns to Racing BullsYuki TsunodaResumes reserve duties
Red Bull thanked Lawson for his work during the three-race stand-in spell, praising his professionalism and contribution under difficult circumstances.
When is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place on Saturday, September 26, with the race weekend beginning on Thursday rather than Friday.
DateScheduled sessionsThursday, September 24Practice 1 and Practice 2Friday, September 25Practice 3 and qualifyingSaturday, September 26Azerbaijan Grand Prix
These dates are listed in Formula 1’s official event schedule.
The timetable has been moved forward to avoid a clash with Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day on September 27. Hadjar’s first on-track running of the weekend is therefore scheduled for Thursday’s practice sessions.
Red Bull also confirms Hadjar’s seat for 2027
Hadjar’s return was followed by another significant development on September 23: Red Bull confirmed that he will remain with the team for the 2027 F1 season, continuing alongside Verstappen.
Team principal Laurent Mekies praised his progress, preparation and work with engineers. The contract extension reflects Red Bull’s confidence in a driver who is still in only his second Formula 1 season.
Before his injury, Hadjar had recorded seven consecutive top-six finishes from Miami to Hungary, including a podium in Monaco. Baku now gives him the opportunity to resume a season interrupted during a consistent run of results.