Hadjar confirms Marquez advice behind withdrawal

Isack Hadjar has confirmed reports advice from MotoGP legend Marc Marquez helped convince him not to risk racing at Zandvoort with his injured wrist.

The Red Bull driver had initially intended to compete despite the injury, but told L’Equipe he wanted the perspective of someone who had personally dealt with serious racing injuries.

"After my injury, I heard a lot of advice from the medical team, but it was important for me to hear from a rider who had experienced something similar."

"We exchanged voice messages," said Hadjar, who at the time of the interview was wearing a minor brace on his wrist.

"He told me that in a situation like this, I should just skip the weekend to avoid any major risks."

Hadjar admitted missing the Dutch GP was difficult because it was a completely new experience for him.

"I’ve been racing since I was seven, I’m 21 now, and I’ve never missed a race weekend due to injury," he revealed.

"It was really weird not being involved and watching from the sidelines, but it is what it is."

The Frenchman nevertheless stayed with Red Bull throughout the weekend and says watching from outside the cockpit offered a different perspective.

"This is the first time I’ve followed a weekend without actually participating, and it’s interesting in its own way," said Hadjar.

"There’s always something to learn. During a race weekend, I’m usually focused on solving specific problems, feeling like I’m ’in a tunnel,’ and sometimes I miss information that could be useful."

Liam Lawson replaced Hadjar at Zandvoort and finished P7, with Hadjar now targeting a return at Monza.