Laurent Mekies offers update on Isack Hadjar's fitness and recovery
Red Bull Racing is taking a patient, long-term approach regarding the physical recovery of Isack Hadjar, who has spent the last three Grands Prix on the sidelines following a training injury.
The French driver hurt his wrist during Formula 1's three-week summer hiatus, forcing him to miss the rounds in Zandvoort, Monza, and Madrid. In his place, Liam Lawson was drafted into the vacant Red Bull seat, while Yuki Tsunoda took over Lawson’s machine at Racing Bulls.
With the upcoming round in Azerbaijan fast approaching, both stand-in drivers face a waiting game to learn their cockpit assignments.
Red Bull Prioritises Full Recovery
Addressing the situation after the Spanish Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies clarified that Hadjar's rehabilitation is progressing without setbacks, noting that his timeline is entirely standard for this type of injury.
“Isack is good... There is nothing wrong with Isack's recovery. I think we have learned that it's fundamentally normal time for the sort of injuries he has,” Mekies stated.
“So, we will continue with the same approach than what we had, we will evaluate the situations in a weeks’ time, we have a full week, with more than a full week to evaluate the situation to see how he feels. And then to put him on the simulator, to expose him to real-life constraints… If he feels close to 100%, we go for it. If he feels the recovery is not completed, we will stick [with] our approach to put his recovery first.”
Mekies emphasised that protecting the Frenchman's future fitness remains paramount: “What we don't want to do is by having an early return, compromise his long-term capacity to come back to 100%.”
The Impact of Sidelined Track Time
Before the layoff, Hadjar enjoyed an impressive run with Red Bull, claiming eight top-10 results, scoring a Monaco podium, and notably out-qualifying Max Verstappen three times. While Verstappen showcased the package's pace with two podiums and Lawson contributed two points finishes from three starts, Hadjar's absence has cost him crucial mileage in the RB22.
Missing races denies him track experience with the team's latest developments, an area where Red Bull is still chasing the RB22's mysterious car degradation following recent updates. While Hadjar has attended races to analyse data, simulator runs will determine whether he is ready for the upcoming triple header or if Red Bull will delay his return further.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.