Hadjar not sure length of new Red Bull deal

Isack Hadjar says he does not even know how long his newly confirmed Red Bull contract runs, as he returns to racing in Baku with his injured wrist still not completely pain-free.

The Frenchman appeared in the paddock wearing only a small wrist brace after missing the previous three races.

"The last time I touched the steering wheel was in Budapest, so it’s been a very long time, it feels," he said.

"It’s definitely a challenging track to come back to, but I’m excited."

Hadjar hinted the wrist is not yet fully healed.

"Yeah, it’s good enough to drive, so that’s all I need."

He later explained the injury in more detail.

"I have a small fracture outside of the wrist and it’s just quite a long process. I didn’t need any surgery, so it’s all natural and it takes some time."

"It’s still going to be painful for a while, but now it’s going to be six weeks soon and, you know, it says that it’s strong enough at the moment to resist the tensions."

"I had a test on the sim, it went well. So, if it’s fine on the sim, with the adrenaline on track and everything, I think I should be ok."

Hadjar also admitted the enforced break had been difficult.

"When you step out, you realise that life is a bit... it’s just flat and boring," said the 21-year-old.

"You just want to come back."

His 2027 future is now secure, although even Hadjar could not say whether the deal is for one year or longer.

"I actually don’t know. I don’t care," he insisted.

"If you’re good, you stay, and that’s it."

There is still less certainty elsewhere in the Red Bull driver pool.

Arvid Lindblad said he feels he is "in good shape" and "doing a good job", while Liam Lawson admitted his own future remains undecided - although Red Bull hailed the job he did in Hadjar’s cockpit.

"I think all questions about my future will be decided in the coming races," said the New Zealander.

"This is the time of year when decisions like these are usually made. Right now, I just want to continue this streak of points finishes."