Hadjar to sit out Madrid again: Lawson returns, Tsunoda misses out, and Red Bull faces a bigger question?

Red Bull Racing has confirmed that Isack Hadjar will not take part in the Formula 1 race in Madrid, Spain, marking the third consecutive round the young French driver will miss due to a wrist injury. The announcement was made on Monday evening, just days before the race weekend, bringing Liam Lawson back into the RB22 alongside Max Verstappen. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda continues to race for Racing Bulls, but the second seat at Racing Bulls remains open, raising questions about the personnel strategy of the entire Red Bull ecosystem in the special 2026 season. According to the team's official statement, Hadjar's recovery is progressing "positively" but the driver is not yet ready to return to the cockpit. He will still be present in Madrid to support the team from within, attending engineering meetings and possibly working with the simulator. Having to miss three consecutive races shows that Hadjar's wrist injury is far from simple, because for an F1 driver, the high G-forces in high-speed corners require the wrist to be fully healthy. The medical team may also be exercising maximum caution before granting clearance, especially in the context of the 2026 season with its new technical regulations that place different physical demands on drivers. The impact of this injury is not limited to Hadjar missing time on track. In 2026, teams must adapt to major changes in power units, active aerodynamics, and sustainable fuels. This makes the driver's feedback role in car development extremely important, as every piece of information from the car contributes directly to future setup direction. Red Bull using a substitute driver for three consecutive races means the RB22 – their new machine – is lacking the long-term data Hadjar had accumulated from previous sessions. Liam Lawson is no stranger to Red Bull fans. The team's use of the word "return" in the announcement almost confirms that Lawson has previously sat in the RB22. The 2026 season saw Lawson start at Red Bull before being swapped with Tsunoda after two races, and now, after Hadjar's injury, the New Zealander has a second chance to prove his worth. With three races ahead, Lawson will have the opportunity to face Max Verstappen directly – one of the toughest benchmarks in F1 history. If he does well, he can consolidate his long-term position; if he fails, his career could spiral into difficult territory. Lawson's opportunity this time may be bigger than many think, not only because of the number of races but because the team needs stability. Under new regulations, every team must learn from scratch, and a driver who can clearly communicate his feelings about the car is a valuable asset. Lawson, despite not having many kilometers in the RB22, brings determination and experience from previous substitute roles. This is a factor Red Bull may be banking on to test his ability to handle pressure in a highly competitive context. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda continues to be one of the most unfortunate stories in the Red Bull system. The Japanese driver continues to race for Racing Bulls at the Madrid round, and once again, the opportunity for promotion to the main team slipped away. The truth is that Red Bull chose to recall Lawson rather than promote Tsunoda, or at least there is no information suggesting Tsunoda was asked. This is a telling sign: it seems Red Bull leadership is betting on Lawson's explosiveness over Tsunoda's consistency, which he has shown over many seasons. Tsunoda has repeatedly impressed in Racing Bulls colors, scoring points regularly and demonstrating impressive overtaking ability. But the red seat remains out of reach. The fact that he was overlooked even when Hadjar was injured creates a sense of injustice among fans. This is not the first time Tsunoda has been treated this way; every time a Red Bull seat opens up, Tsunoda's name is rarely mentioned as a top candidate. This could affect the Japanese driver's morale, potentially pushing him toward seeking a new home at another team. Adding to the puzzle is the fact that Red Bull's announcement did not mention who will replace Hadjar at Racing Bulls. This is a significant information gap, as Racing Bulls needs two drivers to score points. Without a worthy replacement, the team could lose ground in the midfield battle. It is possible that a Red Bull junior academy driver will be called up, but so far everything remains uncertain. The answer may be revealed in the coming days, but the lack of official information suggests the team's contingency plan may not be fully prepared, or they are keeping things under wraps to avoid affecting the psychology of young drivers. From a car development perspective, Hadjar's absence could have invisible consequences. In a season with completely new regulations, lacking a driver with accumulated knowledge of the RB22 may deprive the engineering team of an important feedback channel. Lawson, despite his experience, has not spent much time in this car. This could lead to a misalignment in finding the optimal setup, as engineers rely more on simulator data rather than direct driver feedback. In a context where other teams maintain stable lineups, Red Bull's competitive advantage could shrink significantly. However, Hadjar's presence in Madrid during the race weekend means he will still participate in technical activities, advise engineers, and potentially support via simulation. This partially mitigates the feedback gap, but it still cannot fully replace his direct driving and feeling of changes in each session. The difference between a driver's perception during active racing and someone sitting in a operations room is vast, and this is especially important when teams are racing to decode new regulations. Looking at the broader competitive landscape, Red Bull is entering the new regulation cycle with instability in the second seat. In a season where every practice, every lap provides valuable data, constant personnel changes could cause a lack of continuity in car development. Rivals with stable lineups like Ferrari, Mercedes, or McLaren could exploit this advantage to build a gap. This could even affect the championship race, as a top team may be slowed down simply by an unexpected staffing issue. Hadjar himself is facing great underlying pressure. If Lawson performs well in the upcoming three races, the Red Bull leadership may not be in a hurry to bring Hadjar back. In that case, Hadjar's return would no longer be a health issue, but a story about his position in the team. This means Hadjar's injury has inadvertently opened another battle, one where he cannot control the outcome if Lawson shines in his absence. From a driver market perspective, this upheaval creates a domino effect. If Lawson takes full advantage of the opportunity, he could force Hadjar to wait longer, or even lose his seat. Tsunoda continues in the "almost" loop. And the second seat at Racing Bulls, if filled by another young talent, could create a new internal competition. The driver market always operates on harsh rules, and Red Bull is one of the teams that best demonstrates that ruthlessness. In this context, the Madrid race is not just a race of speed. It will be where behind-the-scenes stories begin to unfold. Can Lawson capitalize on the opportunity to secure a long-term seat? Can Hadjar recover quickly enough before things spiral out of control? And how will Tsunoda react to being overlooked again amidst this turmoil? All these questions will be answered over the coming rounds, but one thing is certain: Red Bull is going through a highly sensitive transition period, and the second Racing Bulls seat remains an agonizing unknown. It would be remiss not to emphasize that in the world of top-level racing, team stability is just as important as car speed. Top teams understand that keeping drivers together through difficulties builds strong bonds. Red Bull has succeeded with a stable pairing of Verstappen and a reliable second driver, but this time they face a difficult puzzle. Three races may not be a long time, but in a fiercely contested season, they can be decisive for the entire road ahead. The Madrid race will be where Lawson proves he has the caliber to sit in one of the best cars on the grid. This is an opportunity few drivers get, and it becomes even more special when it comes amid new regulations creating a relatively level playing field. If Lawson shines, he will write his own fairy tale. Conversely, if he struggles, the Red Bull door may close forever, and the story then belongs to Hadjar or another name. All will be revealed over the laps in Madrid, where all eyes are fixed on two young men fighting for their careers.