How Isack Hadjar sustained a wrist injury during the summer break of F1 2026

"It feels like it's been a while," he expressed during the post-race press briefing. "I had this sense of having a full winter break, which isn’t ideal in the midst of the season. So, I definitely missed being out there."

"You know, the adrenaline, those Q3 laps, the restarts, and it’s great to be back in battle with the other drivers. That’s what I’m passionate about. So, hopefully, I’ll be a bit smarter next time I go boxing."

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Up to this moment, he had sidestepped questions about the nature of the injury. When asked in the Wednesday press conference if the team had prohibited him from boxing during training in the future, Hadjar simply replied: "I’ll be more cautious next time."

Neither Hadjar nor the Red Bull team disclosed specific details regarding the injury, leading to a flurry of reports speculating about its nature. On Wednesday in Baku, Hadjar described it as "a small fracture on the outer part of the wrist, and it’s quite a lengthy recovery process." This contradicts widespread claims that he had a fractured scaphoid, which is located on the inner side of the wrist, behind the thumb.

Wrist injuries often require more time to heal due to the constant use of that area, placing stress on the carpal bones even when not engaged in strenuous activities like sports. This can significantly disrupt the healing process and may hinder fractures from properly mending – hence the advice for athletes to refrain from training during recovery.

The typical recovery timeline involves keeping the injured wrist in a splint for six weeks, so Hadjar’s return to the cockpit represents the earliest feasible opportunity. It’s probable that he will continue to experience some discomfort for several weeks.