Racing Bulls Confirm Yuki Tsunoda Return for Dutch GP After Hadjar Injury

Yuki Tsunoda is set to make his return to the Racing Bulls cockpit this weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix, stepping in for Liam Lawson after the latter was called up to Red Bull Racing. The reshuffle was triggered by a wrist injury to Isack Hadjar, who has been ruled out of the Zandvoort event and will be replaced at the senior team by Lawson, creating a rare chain reaction across the two squads.

Why it matters:

The move thrusts Tsunoda back into the spotlight following a prolonged stint on the sidelines since losing his full-time 2026 seat to Hadjar. It offers the Japanese driver an unexpected chance to remind the paddock of his capabilities while Red Bull's junior driver pipeline faces fresh scrutiny.

The details:

• Isack Hadjar sustained a wrist injury ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix and has been declared unfit to race, forcing Red Bull to promote Liam Lawson from its sister squad with immediate effect.
• Racing Bulls confirmed that reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda will fill Lawson's seat at Zandvoort, partnering rookie Arvid Lindblad for the weekend.
• The appearance marks Tsunoda's first competitive start for Racing Bulls since the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, after which he was promoted to Red Bull — ironically replacing Lawson in the process.
• Despite losing his 2026 drive to Hadjar, Tsunoda remained embedded with the organisation as a third and reserve driver, keeping him eligible for exactly this kind of emergency substitution.

What's next:

All eyes will be on Tsunoda to see whether he can deliver a performance that strengthens his case for future opportunities within the Red Bull programme. Attention will also shift to Hadjar's recovery timeline, as the Frenchman was expected to be central to Red Bull's long-term plans after securing the 2026 seat.