Mekies (Red Bull Racing): These are the conditions for Hadjar’s comeback

What’s next for Red Bull Racing driver Isack Hadjar? The young Frenchman has not raced since the summer break. He injured his wrist during training in the summer and has since missed the races at Zandvoort, Monza and now Madrid. There’s now a week’s break from racing; the next race isn’t in Baku for another two weeks. Before things kick off in quick succession over the coming weeks, Formula 1 is taking a moment to pause. Will that be enough time for Hadjar to get back behind the wheel at Red Bull Racing?

SPEEDWEEK.com put the question to Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies. The French engineer said: “Isack’s recovery is going according to plan. It’s a normal recovery time for the injury he has. We will continue with the same approach we have followed so far.” Up until now, the decision on whether Hadjar could race has been made just a few days before the race. In every instance so far, the decision has been against a comeback. Liam Lawson, who is actually with the sister team Racing Bulls, has stepped in as a replacement driver on each occasion.

Simulator and stress test in a week’s time

The schedule for Hadjar and Red Bull Racing is as follows, Mekies said on Sunday after the Madrid race: “We’ll assess the situation in a week’s time. We have just over a full week to see how he’s getting on. Then we’ll put him in the simulator and subject him to real-world stresses. If he feels close to 100 per cent, then he’ll drive. And if we feel that his recovery isn’t yet complete, we’ll stick to our approach of prioritising his recovery.”

A key principle for his recovery: “We want to avoid jeopardising his long-term chances of getting back to 100 per cent fitness by bringing him back too soon.” Hadjar was on site at the race weekend in Madrid, supporting the team from the sidelines. Liam Lawson, who replaced him, finished sixth at the Madrid circuit.

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