Red Bull set Isack Hadjar comeback target after Madrid absence

Red Bull won’t rush Isack Hadjar’s comeback after the team decided not to put him in the car at the Madring as he wasn’t feeling “100 per cent”, says team principal Laurent Mekies.

But he could be back in the RB22 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix depending on an evaluation in the Red Bull simulator.

Isack Hadjar comeback delayed

Hadjar has been sidelined since Formula 1 returned from its summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix, the Frenchman missing three race weekends after fracturing his wrist in a boxing accident.

Hadjar reportedly suffered the injury while hitting a punching bag during training.

The Red Bull driver’s comeback wasn’t helped by a double-header of Monza followed by the Madring.

Mekies says the decision to keep Hadjar out of the car at the Spanish Grand Prix was made after the driver admitted he had yet to fully recover from his wrist injury.

“It was an easy one,” Mekies told Sky Sports.

“He didn’t feel that he was 100 per cent and that’s the only criteria we used – are you 100 per cent?

“And so it was an easy one for there.

“We always said we would prioritise him coming back at 100 per cent.

“There is no point in throwing him into a track like today, not feeling good and potentially delaying his full recovery.

“So that’s the assessment that we have done.”

Formula 1 has a week off after the Spanish Grand Prix before heading to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

That means more time for Hadjar to recover before potentially returning to the RB22.

Mekies said: “We have a bit more time before Baku.

“And honestly there is nothing wrong with his recovery. The recovery is going as planned.

“Some things take time, and we will take the time to evaluate before Baku and to put him on the sim.”

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Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson has deputised for Hadjar during his injury layoff.

The New Zealander scored six points at the Dutch Grand Prix with a seventh-place finish before finishing a difficult Italian Grand Prix in 14th place, having started from the pit lane due to engine penalties and a late rear-wing change under parc fermé.

Reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda replaced Lawson at Racing Bulls and scored a point at the Italian Grand Prix.

Red Bull is fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, 264 points behind championship leaders Mercedes, while Racing Bulls is fifth, 13 points ahead of Alpine.

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