Red Bull Reveals Substantial 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Promoted, Teenager Lindblad Earns Formula 1 Seat.
Isack Hadjar (left) made his debut at the season opener and is tenth in the standings. Arvid Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 championship.
The Red Bull team has revealed significant changes for the 2026 F1 campaign, elevating Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its A-team and handing 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his maiden Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, is set to become team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.
This reshuffling sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive following a five-year stint.
A Star in the Making
The British teen drove first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix in the current season.
Lindblad has been marked out as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Regarding the team's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "looks really promising", praising his "pure speed".
The team has been working for some time to ready Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring runs in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
The rookie said it was a "dream come true", adding: "Next season represents a huge step, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm ready to work closely with the team and meet the challenge. I am incredibly excited to get started."
Lindblad has taken two races in F2 this year and is P6 in the standings heading into the final round in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
Isack Hadjar enjoys his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race in August.
The Frenchman's debut season started in difficult fashion when he spun out on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, since then, he has emerged as one of the stand-out rookies this season.
He featured an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.
A senior team figure said: "Hadjar has displayed great maturity and demonstrated to be a quick learner. Crucially, he has the raw speed that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can excel alongside Max."
Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "prepared".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have chosen Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the senior squad but was moved back after just two races. He has settled back in at the junior outfit with notable results, convincing Red Bull he deserves more time.
Tsunoda, in contrast, has been ejected after a difficult season. His highest finish is a sixth place, and he has scored a minor percentage of the team's constructors' championship.
The driver market moves confirm that there remains no place on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.
