Red Bull to make last minute Isack Hadjar call at Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Unlike the last three events the Frenchman missed, this time it will be a last minute decision of this weekend's race in Baku, meaning Hadjar could be back in the frame.

The 21-year-old has been sidelined since Formula 1 returned from its summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix, having fractured his wrist in a boxing accident during training.

Liam Lawson has replaced him at Red Bull for three successive races at Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid, while Red Bull reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda filled Lawson's seat at Racing Bulls.

Baku's street circuit features heavy braking zones in the opening sector before the track narrows dramatically beside fortress walls, including the left-hand flick at Turn 8, which at just 7.6 metres wide is the slenderest point on any circuit on the calendar.

Drivers need traction, predictable braking and exact positioning through this section because a small mistake can end a session against the barriers. For a driver returning from a wrist fracture, the relentless braking loads across a full race distance on these barrier-lined streets represent as tough a test as the calendar offers.

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said after the Spanish Grand Prix that the plan was to "put him on the simulator, to expose him to real-life constraints," and set a clear threshold for Hadjar's comeback.

Baku is the first round of a flyaway triple-header before trips to Malaysia and Singapore. The Malaysian race is scheduled from October 2 to 4, slotting between Baku and Singapore to create three back-to-back weekends. Whoever climbs into the car when practice begins on Thursday is almost certainly committed for all three events, making today's call one of the most consequential of the season for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls.

If Hadjar is cleared to race, Lawson will return to Racing Bulls alongside Arvid Lindblad, ending Tsunoda's three-race spell that included scoring a point at the Italian Grand Prix. Should Hadjar not return, Tsunoda will resume his duties as third and reserve driver. As GPblog reported last week, Lawson has described the dual preparation as "tricky," having grown comfortable in the Red Bull only to face a potential switch back to entirely different Racing Bulls machinery.

Red Bull's final word is expected before teams begin freight preparations for Baku later this week. Whatever the outcome, it will shape the driver lineup across both squads for at least the next three Grands Prix.