Overview
- Red Bull confirmed on Monday that Hadjar will not race at the inaugural Madrid Grand Prix and will be at the track supporting the team while he continues to recover.
- Liam Lawson will again partner Max Verstappen in the RB22, giving the Kiwi further race time after a P7 at Zandvoort and a P14 at Monza that was affected by a grid penalty and contact.
- Yuki Tsunoda will stay in the Racing Bulls car for a third straight weekend after finishing 11th at Zandvoort and 10th at Monza, though Audi has said it intends to appeal the Monza stewards' decision which could change that result.
- Hadjar suffered a hairline wrist fracture during summer training while boxing, Red Bull says his recovery is progressing positively but not quickly enough for the physical demands of the new Madring layout and the tight schedule.
- The temporary line-up lets Red Bull evaluate Lawson and Tsunoda ahead of 2027 seat decisions and creates two things to watch next: the outcome of Audi's appeal and the timing of Hadjar's return after the short break before the Azerbaijan triple-header.