Red Bull confirmed Wednesday that Liam Lawson will again fill in for the injured Isack Hadjar at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, extending the New Zealander's second stint in the second seat alongside Max Verstappen after a strong showing at Zandvoort two weeks ago, according to Formula1.com.

Hadjar, 21, broke his wrist in a workout accident before the Dutch Grand Prix. He raced through it at Zandvoort in a protective sleeve but will sit out Monza entirely as the team opts for caution. Team principal Laurent Mekies said Red Bull is prioritizing Hadjar's long-term health over a premature return, given Monza's punishing curbs and heavy braking zones, per Motorsport Week.

Lawson made the most of his first opportunity, finishing seventh at Zandvoort for six championship points. "It's been tough to try and get my head around this car in a short space of time, but I've enjoyed it," he said of adapting to the senior Red Bull machinery on short notice. Reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa will take over Verstappen's car for Friday's first practice session, a mandated young-driver outing, before Verstappen returns for the rest of the weekend.

"IT'S BEEN TOUGH TO TRY AND GET MY HEAD AROUND THIS CAR IN A SHORT SPACE OF TIME, BUT I'VE ENJOYED IT." — Liam Lawson

A season already gone sideways for Red Bull

The reshuffle lands in the middle of an uncharacteristically rocky year for the team. Verstappen, the four-time defending champion, is winless through the season and sits sixth in the standings after crashing out on the opening lap of his home race at Zandvoort. Kimi Antonelli leads the championship on 242 points, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton tied for second at 183 and Verstappen well back on 112, according to RacingNews365's standings tracker. Red Bull's junior program is in flux too: at sister team Racing Bulls, Yuki Tsunoda is filling in for a second straight weekend after already being told he's lost his grid seat for next season, partnering rookie Arvid Lindblad.

Hadjar's absence is the latest disruption to a lineup that has already cycled through multiple pairings this year as Red Bull searches for stability next to Verstappen. Lawson himself began the 2026 season in a Red Bull seat before being dropped, making his recall now something of a redemption arc.

No firm return date has been set for Hadjar. Red Bull has indicated it will continue to assess his recovery race by race rather than commit to a timeline, meaning Lawson's audition could extend beyond Monza depending on how the wrist heals.

The Italian Grand Prix weekend runs September 6-8 at Monza, with Friday practice marking Iwasa's outing in Verstappen's car and the first real test of whether Lawson can turn a one-off opportunity into a longer-term case for a race seat.