![\"Report](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SI202607270275.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRacing Bulls driver Liam Lawson during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. Image: Rudy Carezzevoli\/Getty Images<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRacing Bulls driver Liam Lawson during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. Image: Rudy Carezzevoli\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Dutch publication De Telegraaf has reported Hadjar is unlikely to compete at Zandvoort after sustaining the injury during a gym session in the build-up to the event.<\/p>\n
While a final decision on the Frenchman\u2019s participation is yet to be made, Lawson is understood to be in line to step up from Racing Bulls should Hadjar be ruled out.<\/p>\n
It would mark an unexpected return to Red Bull for the New Zealander, less than 18 months after his brief stint alongside Max Verstappen came to an abrupt end.<\/p>\n
Lawson began the 2025 season with Red Bull after earning promotion from its sister team, but was dropped after just two grands prix and sent back to Racing Bulls.<\/p>\n
Yuki Tsunoda moved in the opposite direction and spent the remainder of the season alongside Verstappen before losing the seat to Hadjar for 2026.<\/p>\n
De Telegraaf also reported Tsunoda is expected to return to Racing Bulls should Lawson step into Hadjar\u2019s car.<\/p>\n
Tsunoda has remained part of the Red Bull stable as a reserve driver this season and would therefore be available to fill the vacancy created by Lawson\u2019s potential move.<\/p>\n
Red Bull has yet to confirm Hadjar will miss the race or any subsequent changes involving Lawson and Tsunoda.<\/p>\n
The rumoured injury comes at an unfortunate time for Hadjar, who has enjoyed an impressive first season with Red Bull and is expected to remain alongside Verstappen in 2027.<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old has strong memories of Zandvoort after producing a surprise podium at the circuit last season on his first F1 appearance there.<\/p>\n
For Lawson, a Red Bull recall would come amid a strong 2026 campaign with Racing Bulls.<\/p>\n
The Kiwi sits ninth in the drivers\u2019 championship heading into the Dutch Grand Prix and has rebuilt his standing within the Red Bull system following the disappointment of his short-lived promotion last year.<\/p>\n
Zandvoort would also provide a fitting setting for another unexpected chapter in Lawson\u2019s F1 career.<\/p>\n
It was at the same circuit in 2023 that Lawson made his grand prix debut after Daniel Ricciardo crashed during practice and suffered a broken wrist.<\/p>\n
Lawson was drafted into the then-AlphaTauri team at short notice and remained in the car for five races while Ricciardo recovered, beginning the substitute stint that ultimately helped establish him as a contender for a permanent F1 seat.<\/p>\n
Three years later, another wrist injury could now hand Lawson an equally sudden opportunity, this time back alongside Verstappen at Red Bull.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. Image: Rudy Carezzevoli\/Getty Images Dutch publication…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":860591,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[64,63,3352,12357,85],"class_list":["post-860590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-liam-lawson","tag-slot1","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=860590"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860590\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/860591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=860590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=860590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=860590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}