Red Bull have been forced into a major driver reshuffle ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix after Isack Hadjar was ruled out with a wrist injury.
Hadjar, who has impressed during his first season with Red Bull, will miss the Zandvoort race after suffering the injury during a gym session. His absence has triggered a rare mid-season driver swap within the Red Bull stable.
Liam Lawson has been called up from Racing Bulls to replace Hadjar at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, marking his return to the senior team less than 18 months after losing his seat.
Meanwhile, reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda will step into Lawson’s Racing Bulls seat for the Dutch GP, making his first race appearance of the 2026 season.
The move represents a remarkable turn of events for Lawson, who was promoted to Red Bull at the start of 2025 but was dropped after only two races and returned to Racing Bulls. The New Zealander has since rebuilt his reputation with a strong 2026 campaign and currently sits ninth in the drivers’ championship.
For Tsunoda, the weekend will provide his first opportunity to race the all-new 2026 machinery. Although he has remained involved with the Red Bull programme as a reserve driver, simulator work will be replaced by the real thing at Zandvoort.
Tsunoda also took to social media to wish Hadjar a speedy recovery following the Frenchman’s injury.
The reshuffle adds another unexpected chapter to an already complicated Red Bull driver market, with Hadjar expected to remain alongside Verstappen for 2027 once he returns to full fitness.
