Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Sport Nation
Motorsport
Netball
Basketball
Combat Sports
Olympics
Other Sports
Lawson to replace injured Hadjar for Italian GP
Reuters • September 3rd, 2026 6:44 am
Liam Lawson | Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull's Isack Hadjar will miss this weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Monza as he recovers from injury, with Liam Lawson replacing him for the second race in a row and Yuki Tsunoda continuing as a stand-in for Racing Bulls.
Both Red Bull-owned F1 teams confirmed their line-ups on Wednesday for the 13th round of the season at one of the fastest tracks on the calendar.
Frenchman Hadjar injured his wrist in training ahead of last month's Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, with Red Bull promoting New Zealander Lawson back to the senior team they had demoted him from last year.
New Zealand's Liam Lawson is set to drive for Red Bull at Monza this weekend | Photo: EPA
Tsunoda is the official reserve driver for both teams but the experienced Japanese has been drafted in alongside British rookie Arvid Lindblad at Racing Bulls, the Italy-based sister team traditionally used to develop young drivers.
Lawson, 24, finished seventh at the Dutch Grand Prix and sits ninth in the standings with 49 points while his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, who crashed out of his home race on the opening lap, is sixth.
"Liam will drive alongside Max at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, while Isack continues to make encouraging progress following the wrist injury sustained during the summer break," Red Bull said in a statement.
"The team is closely monitoring his rehabilitation and will take no unnecessary risks with his return to competition and wishes him a speedy recovery."
Red Bull's injured Isack Hadjar will miss this weekend's Italian Grand Prix | Photo: AP
Hadjar had sounded hopeful of making his return at Monza.
"It's my first injury ever in my whole existence, career, whatever. So it's weird to be on the bench. I'm not happy about it, for me and for the team," he said when he put in an appearance at Zandvoort.
"It's not swollen, which is a good sign. Actually, it's healing fast. Every day I have a bit more mobility and I'm hopeful for Monza."
Formula One has a packed calendar as the second half of the season picks up speed, with Madrid's new Madring Spanish Grand Prix circuit due to make its debut the weekend after Monza. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku follows on September 26.
Liam Lawson is different gravy | Scotty & Izzy
