Red Bull set Isack Hadjar comeback target after Madrid absence

Red Bull will not rush Isack Hadjar back into the RB22 after the team kept him out of the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring because the Frenchman was not feeling "100 per cent." Team principal Laurent Mekies says Hadjar's recovery is going as planned, and he could return at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix if he comes through a Red Bull simulator evaluation.

Why it matters:

With Red Bull sitting fourth in the Constructors' Championship and 264 points behind Mercedes, every race and every point matters. Sending Hadjar back before his fractured wrist is fully healed risks a longer absence and could further hurt the team's already difficult season. The cautious call shows Red Bull is prioritising long-term performance over short-term gains.

The details:

• Three missed races: Hadjar has been sidelined since the summer break, missing Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid after fracturing his wrist in a boxing training accident.
• The decision: Mekies told Sky Sports: "He didn't feel that he was 100 per cent and that's the only criteria we used."
• Simulator test ahead: With a week off before Baku, Red Bull will evaluate Hadjar in the simulator before making a call on his comeback.
• Lawson's stand-in role: Liam Lawson, the Racing Bulls driver deputising at Red Bull, scored six points with seventh at Zandvoort and finished 14th at Monza after starting from the pit lane.
• Tsunoda's contribution: Reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda replaced Lawson at Racing Bulls and scored a point at Monza.

What's next:

Hadjar now has extra time to recover before Baku. If the simulator assessment goes well, he could be back in the RB22 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Racing Bulls, meanwhile, remains fifth in the standings, 13 points clear of Alpine.