Red Bull Reveals Major 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Promoted, 18-Year-Old Lindblad Secures Formula 1 Seat.
Isack Hadjar (left) made his debut in Australia and is tenth in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 championship.
The Red Bull team has confirmed a new line-up for the 2026 Formula 1 season, promoting Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its senior team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at the sister squad VCARB.
This reshuffling results in Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive after five seasons.
A Star in the Making
The British teen took part in first practice for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix this year.
Lindblad has been tagged as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Regarding the team's junior academy, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", commending his "raw pace".
The team has had a plan for some time to prepare Lindblad for his likely F1 debut in 2026, including runs in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
The rookie said it was a "proud moment", adding: "2026 will be a massive test, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm ready to work closely with the team and step up. I am incredibly excited to get started."
Lindblad has taken two races in F2 so far this season and is P6 in the standings ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
Isack Hadjar enjoys his first podium in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race this season.
Hadjar's F1 career started on a low note when he spun out on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has emerged as one of the most impressive newcomers this season.
He included an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.
The team principal said: "Isack has displayed impressive growth and proved to be a fast adapter. Most importantly, he has the innate pace that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."
Hadjar described it "a fantastic step" and said he felt "prepared".
Tsunoda's Exit
For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have preferred Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson started 2025 with the senior squad but was moved back after just two races. However, he has settled back in at Racing Bulls with notable results, persuading Red Bull he merits another season.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, has been ejected after a difficult season. His best result is a sixth place, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's points total.
These announcements mean that there remains no place on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.
