Liam Lawson Italian GP latest as Red Bull decision looms
Liam Lawson will soon learn where he is racing at Monza
Red Bull must soon make a decision on whether Isack Hadjar will be fit to return to action at the Italian Grand Prix.
Said decision is due to be made by Red Bull on Wednesday, PlanetF1.com understands, ahead of Round 13 of F1 2026 at Monza.
Red Bull set for last-minute Italian GP driver decision
Hadjar was forced to sit out the Dutch Grand Prix, after sustaining a wrist injury.
That meant that Liam Lawson made his return to the Red Bull Racing cockpit for the season resumption in Zandvoort. Yuki Tsunoda returned to the F1 grid at Racing Bulls, in place of Lawson.
Hadjar was in attendance at Zandvoort as he bids to return at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
PlanetF1.com understands that Red Bull will make a last-minute call on Wednesday as to whether Hadjar returns for Monza.
Hadjar is set to undergo medical checks on Wednesday that will determine the decision.
Should Hadjar not be fit to compete, then it is almost guaranteed that Lawson will race again for Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, with Tsunoda partnering Arvid Lindblad once more at Racing Bulls.
Both Lawson and Tsunoda generally impressed in their respective stand-in assignments at Zandvoort.
Lawson was demoted back to Racing Bulls after the first two rounds of 2025, having struggled with the step-up to Red Bull. Skip forward to Zandvoort 2026, and the New Zealander qualified just a tenth down on Verstappen, the four-time world champion.
After Verstappen crashed out of his last home race early on in slippery conditions, Lawson delivered a drive considered ideal of the second Red Bull car, securing P7 and six important points for the team.
Lawson earned a positive review from Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies. Lawson was back behind the wheel for Red Bull in a Pirelli tyre test at Mugello, following the Dutch Grand Prix.
Meanwhile over at Racing Bulls, Tsunoda proved similarly competitive up against impressive rookie teammate Lindblad.
The Japanese racer narrowly missed out on points in P11, one place ahead of Lindblad.
Both Lawson and Tsunoda have something to prove with their respective F1 futures not yet determined.
More on Red Bull from PlanetF1.com
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Lawson is delivering arguably his strongest F1 season yet, while Tsunoda believes he showed what he was truly capable of at Zandvoort, having lost his Red Bull seat at the end of 2025, demoted to reserve driver.
Tsunoda’s priority for 2027 is Formula 1, though there is competition within the Red Bull ranks, as junior driver, and Formula 2 championship leader Nikola Tsolov continues to impress.
The Bulgarian recently made his debut in F1 machinery at Imola, as part of a Racing Bulls filming day and test. Tsolov drove the 2025 Racing Bulls VCARB02.
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
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