Red Bull's double trouble as Hadjar injury keeps him out and Monza balance issues persist
19:06, 04 Sep
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Red Bull are facing a difficult weekend at Monza as the team struggles to find the right balance with its car while Isack Hadjar is set to miss the Spanish GP.
Hadjar injured his wrist while training during the summer break, forcing him to miss the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and the following race at Monza. Liam Lawson has stepped in for Red Bull, while Yuki Tsunoda has consequently taken over Lawson’s seat at Racing Bulls.
Hadjar injured his wrist while training during the summer break, forcing him to miss the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and the following race at Monza. Liam Lawson has stepped in for Red Bull, while Yuki Tsunoda has consequently taken over Lawson’s seat at Racing Bulls.
The 21-year-old had initially hoped to recover quickly, but Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has now indicated that Hadjar is unlikely to return at the Spanish Grand Prix, with the team unwilling to take any unnecessary risks with his recovery.
Hadjar has also sought advice from MotoGP star Marc Marquez, who has endured a series of serious injuries during his career and has experienced setbacks after returning to competition too soon.
Red Bull are therefore taking a cautious approach, particularly given Hadjar’s impressive performances during his debut season.
“Isack is okay,” Mekies told French broadcaster Canal+ during FP1. “He can’t drive now so, obviously, I’m not going to tell you he’s happy – because he’s not.
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“But the absolute priority is his recovery. We have no reason to take risks with it. His season so far has been fantastic, he’s very young, he improves every time he drives the car, so it’s important for him to return when he’s 100%.”
Mekies added that Red Bull would allow Hadjar to determine when he was ready to return, alongside guidance from his doctors.
“We’ll take whatever time is required, trust his feeling and the doctors’ guidance, and give him the time he needs. We’ll soon laugh about this, I’m sure,” he said.
While Hadjar’s absence remains a concern, Red Bull are also dealing with problems on track at Monza.
Technical director Pierre Wache admitted that the RB car is suffering from a balance issue, with the problem resembling the difficulties Red Bull encountered at Zandvoort.
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“Clearly, we have a balance issue on the car—that's the main thing, a little bit like Zandvoort, to be honest,” Wache said.
The team is now working through setup changes and car components in an attempt to understand and resolve the issue before the weekend progresses.
Red Bull’s preparation has also been complicated by Max Verstappen missing FP1, leaving the team with less time to respond to the balance problems.
“It doesn't help when Max doesn't drive in FP1 and you jump into the car later, leaving us with less time to react, and now we have to make the necessary changes ahead of FP3,” Wache explained.
With Hadjar’s return still uncertain and Red Bull searching for answers with its car, the team has plenty to resolve as it looks to recover from a challenging start to the Monza weekend.
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