AUGUST 28, 2026

Marquez says Hadjar was right to wait

Marc Marquez advised Isack Hadjar not to risk worsening his wrist injury by attempting to race at Zandvoort.

Marc Marquez has explained why he advised Isack Hadjar to miss the Dutch Grand Prix rather than test the limits of an injured wrist in a Formula 1 car.

Hadjar contacted the MotoGP champion before deciding whether to race at Zandvoort. The two share a physiotherapist, and Marquez has more experience of premature injury returns than he would have wanted.

The Spaniard broke his right arm at Jerez in 2020 and attempted to return only days after surgery. The consequences included further operations and a recovery that disrupted several seasons of his career.

Missing one race will not change your life, Marquez told MotoGP.com. Worsening an injury by returning too soon, he added, might do exactly that.

Hadjar accepted the advice and withdrew. Liam Lawson replaced him at Red Bull, with Yuki Tsunoda returning to Racing Bulls for the weekend.

Red Bull hopes Hadjar will be available for Monza, although the team has not yet guaranteed his return.

Drivers are not generally short of reasons why they should be allowed to compete. Sometimes the more valuable advice comes from somebody who once made the opposite decision and spent several years discovering why it was wrong.