Red Bull has confirmed its plans for Liam Lawson ahead of the Italian Grand Prix after the New Zealander stepped into the senior team at the Dutch Grand Prix following Isack Hadjar’s injury.
Hadjar was forced to miss the Zandvoort weekend after suffering a fractured wrist during the summer break. The injury reportedly occurred while the 21-year-old was boxing as part of his fitness training, leaving Red Bull with little choice but to reshuffle its driver line-up.
LIAM LAWSON WILL PREPARE FOR MONZA WITH RED BULL
Lawson will remain with Red Bull during the preparations for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza and will train as though he is going to race for the senior team.
However, there is an important condition attached to the decision: if Hadjar is medically cleared to compete, he will reclaim his Red Bull seat.
That means Lawson has not been handed a permanent promotion—at least not yet.
Red Bull’s approach nevertheless gives Lawson valuable preparation time and ensures the team is ready for either scenario when the Monza weekend arrives.
LAWSON FINALLY DELIVERS FOR RED BULL
Lawson’s unexpected return to Red Bull produced arguably his strongest weekend with the team.
The New Zealander finished seventh at Zandvoort, collecting six championship points and, remarkably, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen after the Dutchman crashed out on the opening lap.
Those were Lawson’s first points for Red Bull’s senior team.
The result is particularly significant given how abruptly his previous Red Bull opportunity ended. Lawson was promoted in 2025 but was demoted after only two races, with Yuki Tsunoda taking his place.
Now, after being given another unexpected opportunity, Lawson has immediately put points on the board.
HADJAR’S RECOVERY REMAINS THE KEY
Despite Lawson’s impressive performance, Red Bull has made it clear that Hadjar’s fitness will determine who occupies the seat at Monza.
Hadjar has already demonstrated his potential, including securing his maiden F1 podium at Zandvoort last season. Red Bull therefore has little reason to rush him back if his wrist has not fully recovered.
With the championship situation not demanding an immediate risk, allowing Hadjar additional recovery time could ultimately be the smarter decision.
A return at a later round, potentially Madrid as reported, would give the Frenchman more time to regain full strength.
LAWSON HAS SUDDENLY CREATED A NEW DILEMMA
The most interesting consequence of the situation is that Lawson has now given Red Bull something it did not necessarily expect: a genuine reason to reconsider its options.
Hadjar remains the preferred choice if fit, but Lawson’s seventh-place finish has changed the conversation.
If Lawson continues preparing with the senior team and performs strongly in simulator work, practice sessions or another opportunity, Red Bull could face a difficult decision.
For Lawson, the message is simple: his temporary opportunity has become a chance to remind Red Bull exactly what it previously gave up on.
And after scoring points immediately on his return, the New Zealander now has momentum on his side.
