Isack Hadjar returns to F1 action in Azerbaijan, encouraged by upgraded Red Bull RB22 feel

Isack Hadjar made his return to F1 action during Thursday practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after recovering from a wrist injury that kept him out of Zandvoort, Monza and the all-new Madring track over the summer. Speaking after taking the wheel of Red Bull’s RB22 at the Baku City Circuit, Hadjar said the car felt “better than when I left it” following the July Hungarian Grand Prix, where he had last been able to race before his break.

Red Bull introduced a range of updates for Hadjar in Azerbaijan, including changes to the floor body, diffuser and sidepods. Hadjar lost valuable track time in FP1 due to a gearbox issue, but he completed a healthy number of laps in FP2, finishing ninth. His FP2 time left him 1.5 seconds behind pace-setter George Russell and 0.7 seconds behind his team mate, Max Verstappen.

Hadjar’s return was also shaped by the limited running he was able to complete in FP1, and he indicated he wanted further changes after an initial session. He added that while there had been “not many laps” on Thursday, he was “not really worried too much about the pace” and was looking ahead to the rest of the weekend. Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache said the upgrade day was “quite positive,” noting that both cars had the package and that initial expectations were broadly met based on the information coming from practice.

Wache also assessed the competitive picture, stating that Mercedes looked ahead on short runs while suggesting long-run comparison was still needed. He added that McLaren appeared “a little bit quicker, or similar” to Red Bull, while cautioning that tyre-lap timing choices and energy use could make overall lap comparisons misleading.

The Azerbaijan weekend also brings a personnel update from Red Bull: Hadjar will continue as Verstappen’s team mate for the 2027 season, after Red Bull activated its option to retain him.

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk