Due to his wrist injury, Isack Hadjar had to watch from the sidelines at Zandvoort—the Red Bull driver talks about the unfamiliar situation
Isack Hadjar missed an entire race weekend for the first time in his career during the Formula 1 weekend at Zandvoort. Due to a wrist injury sustained during the summer break, the Red Bull driver had to sit out the Dutch Grand Prix and instead watched the action from his team’s garage.
Hadjar had arrived at the track on Friday morning and wanted to follow the race weekend as closely as possible despite his injury. At the same time, he had to avoid taking any unnecessary risks so as not to jeopardize his chances of returning for the upcoming race in Monza. After consulting with doctors, the Frenchman therefore decided against racing.
“It’s frustrating to miss a race. I’ve been racing since I was seven, I’m 21 now, and I’ve never missed a race weekend due to an injury. It’s strange not to be participating and to be experiencing it all from the outside. It’s weird, but that’s just how it is,” Hadjar told L’Equipe.
Hadjar Wants to Stay in the F1 Rhythm Despite Injury
Nevertheless, the Frenchman tried to find a silver lining in his involuntary time at the track. After the summer break, he said, it was important to stay in the Formula 1 rhythm. He also noted that he had the opportunity to observe his team’s work from a different perspective.
“We’ve just come back from the summer break, so it’s good to be here and stay in the Formula 1 rhythm. I can also see how my team works. There’s always something to learn. During a race weekend, I’m usually in a bubble and can miss information that might be useful to me,” says Hadjar.
While he was forced to watch from the sidelines, Hadjar witnessed, among other things, Max Verstappen’s spectacular crash on the first lap. Meanwhile, his replacement, Liam Lawson, scored six points for Red Bull and finished the race in seventh place.
Hadjar Seeks Advice from MotoGP Star Marquez
Hadjar also spoke with MotoGP star Marc Marquez about his injury. The Spaniard, who has himself suffered numerous injuries, was able to offer him an additional perspective from another racer’s point of view.
“We exchanged voice messages. I have his contact information and thought to myself that there’s a rider who knows a thing or two about injuries. I’ve received a lot of medical advice, but I wanted to talk to a rider and hear the perspective of someone who’s already been through something like this. He also confirmed to me that sitting out a weekend isn’t a big deal,” Hadjar reports.
For Hadjar, the top priority is a full recovery. His goal remains to return to the cockpit at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza in early September, provided his physical condition allows it.