Isack Hadjar will miss the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, marking his third consecutive absence from the Formula 1 grid. Liam Lawson will again step into Hadjar’s seat at Oracle Red Bull Racing for the event. Yuki Tsunoda will continue to deputise for Lawson at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls.
Hadjar sustained a hairline fracture in his wrist during a boxing training session over the August summer break. This injury previously forced him to withdraw from the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Red Bull Racing confirmed that Hadjar’s recovery is progressing positively. However, the team stated he is not yet ready to return to the cockpit. The 21-year-old French driver will travel to Madrid to support the team trackside.
Hadjar is currently eighth in the World Drivers’ Championship standings. He was promoted to Oracle Red Bull Racing for the 2026 season after an impressive rookie campaign with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls in 2025.
During his 2025 debut season, Hadjar secured a maiden podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix. He ended that year with 51 points, earning his promotion to partner Max Verstappen.
Liam Lawson’s extended stint with Red Bull Racing follows his performances at Zandvoort and Monza. He finished seventh at the Dutch Grand Prix and recovered to 14th at Monza after starting from the pit lane due to engine penalties.
Lawson, who normally races for Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, is currently ninth in the drivers’ championship with 49 points. He was demoted from Red Bull to Racing Bulls after the opening two rounds of the 2025 season.
Yuki Tsunoda will continue to fill Lawson’s seat at Racing Bulls alongside Arvid Lindblad. Tsunoda, Red Bull’s Test and Reserve Driver for 2026, scored a point at the Italian Grand Prix with a tenth-place finish.
His Monza result was initially under review for a start procedure infringement but he escaped a penalty. Tsunoda is aiming for a full-time F1 race seat for the 2027 season and beyond.
The Spanish Grand Prix will be held at the new ‘The Madring’ circuit in Madrid for the first time this year. The event, scheduled for September 11-13, 2026, marks a significant calendar change.
The Madring is a 5.416 km street circuit built around the IFEMA Exhibition Centre. It features 22 corners and displaces the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which hosted the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991.
A notable feature of the new circuit is ‘La Monumental’, a 0.5 km long banked Turn 12 with 24% banking. This is expected to be the longest banked turn on the Formula 1 calendar.
The circuit has a capacity of 110,000 spectators, with potential for expansion to 140,000. Williams driver Carlos Sainz, involved with the track’s organisation, described it as a significant challenge for drivers.
The Madrid event forms the second leg of a double-header with Monza, transitioning from Formula 1’s most visited venue to its newest.
