Isack Hadjar returns from his wrist injury to help Red Bull to its first double grand prix podium in two and a half years…Isack Hadjar Returns From Wrist Injury as Red Bull Ends Two-and-a-Half-Year Wait for Double Podium
BAKU — Isack Hadjar made a memorable return from a wrist injury at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, helping Red Bull Racing secure its first double podium in a Grand Prix for two and a half years.
Hadjar finished third in Baku, joining teammate Max Verstappen on the podium after Verstappen crossed the line in second. The result marked a significant moment for Red Bull, which had not placed both of its cars inside the top three of a Grand Prix since the Chinese Grand Prix in 2024.
That previous double podium came at Shanghai, where Verstappen won the race and Sergio Pérez finished second. More than two years later, the combination of Verstappen and Hadjar has restored the familiar sight of two Red Bull drivers celebrating together on a Grand Prix podium.
For Hadjar, however, the achievement carried an added significance. The Azerbaijan weekend represented his return to competition following a wrist injury, making his third-place finish an impressive way to mark his comeback.
The French driver faced the challenge of returning to the demanding environment of Formula 1 while managing the physical demands of a street circuit. Baku’s layout includes heavy braking zones, rapid changes of direction and long periods of close racing, placing substantial demands on a driver’s hands and arms.
Despite those challenges, Hadjar produced a composed performance when Red Bull needed it.
His podium also underlined the importance of Red Bull’s decision to put him in a position to fight at the front. While Verstappen has remained a regular presence among the leading drivers, Red Bull had endured a lengthy wait for its second car to join him on the podium in a Grand Prix.
That wait finally ended in Azerbaijan.
A long wait comes to an end
Red Bull’s last Grand Prix double podium before Baku came at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. Verstappen dominated the race to take victory, while Pérez completed the result in second place.
Since then, the team had experienced periods of strong individual performances but had been unable to reproduce that particular combination of results over a full Grand Prix distance.
The Baku result therefore represents more than two trophies for the team’s cabinet. It demonstrates that Red Bull has once again been able to place both cars in the top three at the same race.
Verstappen’s second place provided the foundation for the result, while Hadjar’s third place completed the picture.
For the reigning Red Bull star, another podium added to his already extensive list of Formula 1 achievements. For Hadjar, it was something altogether more personal.
Hadjar’s comeback
Returning from injury is never straightforward for a Formula 1 driver. The physical requirements of driving at high speed mean that even a relatively localized injury can create additional challenges.
The wrist is particularly important. Drivers rely on precise steering inputs throughout a lap, often making rapid movements while dealing with high forces through the car. On a circuit such as Baku, where precision is essential, any lingering discomfort could potentially become a major issue.
Hadjar nevertheless looked ready for the challenge.
His third-place finish means his first Grand Prix back from the injury will be remembered not simply as a return to the grid, but as a podium-winning comeback.
The result also gives Red Bull an important boost at a stage of the season when every strong result matters.
Verstappen and Hadjar deliver
The Verstappen-Hadjar combination produced a result that echoed Red Bull’s previous double podium in China.
In 2024, Verstappen and Pérez occupied the first two positions. In Azerbaijan in 2026, Verstappen again appeared on the podium, this time in second, with Hadjar taking third.
The names and finishing positions have changed, but the essential statistic remains the same: two Red Bull drivers among the top three.
For the team, it ends a frustratingly long gap.
For Verstappen, it is another podium.
For Hadjar, it is a statement return from injury.
The third-place finish could also prove significant for the young driver’s confidence. Returning to Formula 1 competition after an injury can create uncertainty, particularly when the comeback takes place at one of the sport’s most challenging venues.
Instead, Hadjar immediately found himself fighting at the sharp end of the field and completed the race strongly enough to stand alongside Verstappen during the podium celebrations.
A memorable day for Red Bull
The atmosphere inside the Red Bull camp was understandably positive after the chequered flag.
A double podium is one of the clearest indicators of a team’s ability to extract strong performances from both sides of its garage. While a single driver can deliver an exceptional result, placing two cars in the top three requires consistency across the team — from preparation and strategy to pit stops, engineering and race execution.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix provided Red Bull with exactly that.
Verstappen’s second place secured a major haul of points, while Hadjar’s third-place finish added another valuable contribution. Together, the two results gave Red Bull one of its most notable Grand Prix weekends in recent memory.
And the circumstances surrounding Hadjar’s podium made it even more striking.
Only recently sidelined by his wrist injury, the Frenchman returned to Formula 1 action and immediately helped his team achieve something it had not done since 2024.
From injury setback to podium celebration
Sports careers are often defined by moments of adversity as much as moments of success. For Hadjar, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix offered both sides of that story in the space of a relatively short period.
The wrist injury forced him away from competition. His return required preparation, recovery and a willingness to face the physical demands of Formula 1 again.
The reward was a place on the podium.
As Hadjar stood alongside Verstappen in Baku, Red Bull could finally celebrate a result that had proved elusive for more than two years.
The statistic is striking: from Verstappen and Pérez in China in 2024 to Verstappen and Hadjar in Azerbaijan in 2026, Red Bull had waited two and a half years to see two of its drivers finish a Grand Prix in the top three.
Now the wait is over.
For Verstappen, the result adds another podium to an already remarkable Formula 1 career. For Hadjar, it represents a comeback that could hardly have gone better. And for Red Bull, it is a reminder of what the team can achieve when both cars are capable of fighting at the front.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will therefore be remembered not only for Verstappen’s second place, but for Hadjar’s return and the end of Red Bull’s long wait for a double Grand Prix podium.
After 2024’s Verstappen-Pérez one-two at China, the team finally has another two-car podium to celebrate.
This time, Verstappen stands second.
Hadjar stands third.
And after two and a half years, Red Bull is celebrating together on the Formula 1 podium once again.
