Red Bull eyeing Baku return for Isack Hadjar

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies is hopeful Isack Hadjar could return for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix later this month as he continues to recover from a wrist injury.

For the third successive race weekend, Hadjar is sidelined after fracturing a wrist sustained whilst boxing training shortly before the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August.

Hadjar also missed last weekend's Italian Grand Prix, and has again been reduced to a watching brief for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix at F1's newest circuit, the Madring situated in Madrid. 

Mekies said the decision to keep Hadjar out of the Spanish GP was straightforward.

"It was an easy one," he said, speaking to Sky Sports F1. "He didn't feel that he was 100%, and that's the only criteria we use. Are you 100%? So it was an easy one for here.

"We have always said we will prioritise him coming back at 100%. There was no point in throwing him into a track like here, not feeling good and potentially delaying his full recovery. So that's the assessment we made."

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Baku comeback on the cards for Hadjar

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 26 gives Hadjar an additional two-week window to complete his recovery.

Striking a positive tone on the 21-year-old's progress, Mekies said: "We have a bit more time before Baku.

"Honestly, there is nothing wrong with his recovery. The recovery is going as planned. Some things take time, and we will take the time to evaluate before Baku and to put him on the sim."

The Baku City Circuit, a demanding street track, would represent a challenging environment for Hadjar's return, though simulator work in the coming days should offer Red Bull a clearer picture of his readiness.