Red Bull Reveals Substantial 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Elevated, Teenager Arvid Lindblad Secures F1 Drive.
Isack Hadjar (left) made his debut at the season opener and is tenth in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the F2 standings.
Red Bull has confirmed a new line-up for the 2026 Formula 1 season, elevating French driver Isack Hadjar to its senior team and handing 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his first Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be the partner of New Zealander Liam Lawson at the junior outfit VCARB.
This reshuffling means Japan's Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid post a half-decade in F1.
The New British Hope
The British teen took part in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was tagged as a rising talent by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Talking about the team's junior academy, a senior Red Bull figure noted last year that Lindblad "appears very talented", highlighting his "natural quickness".
The team has had a plan for some time to ready Lindblad for his potential F1 debut in 2026, featuring appearances in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
The rookie said it was a "dream come true", commenting: "Next season represents a huge step, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm ready to work closely with the team and step up. I can't wait to get started."
Lindblad has taken two races in F2 this year and is sixth in the standings heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
Isack Hadjar celebrates his first podium in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race in August.
Hadjar's F1 career started in difficult fashion when he crashed during the warm-up lap of the season-opening 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 10th in the drivers' standings.
The team principal said: "Isack has displayed impressive growth and proved to be a quick learner. Crucially, he has the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."
Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "up for the challenge".
The Lawson Decision
For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have preferred Lawson over Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the main team but was demoted after just two races. He has settled back in at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he deserves another season.
Tsunoda, in contrast, has been ejected after a difficult season. His highest finish is a P6, and he has accumulated a minor percentage of the team's points total.
These announcements mean that there remains no spot on the Red Bull programme for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.
