Red Bull Reveals Major 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Promoted, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Earns Formula 1 Seat.
French driver Hadjar (left) started his career at the season opener currently sitting tenth in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the Formula 2 championship.
The Austrian squad has confirmed a major reshuffle for the 2026 F1 campaign, elevating Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its senior team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his first F1 drive.
The young driver, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, will be team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at the sister squad Racing Bulls.
These changes means Japan's Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat after five seasons.
A Star in the Making
Arvid Lindblad participated in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was marked out as a prodigy by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Talking about the company's young driver programme, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "appears very talented", highlighting his "pure speed".
Red Bull prepared a programme for some time to prepare Lindblad for his potential Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring runs in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
Lindblad stated it was a "huge honour", commenting: "Next season represents a big challenge, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm eager to collaborate with the team and step up. I can't wait to get started."
He has won two races in F2 this year and is P6 in the championship ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
The Frenchman's Chance
Isack Hadjar enjoys his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Dutch Grand Prix this season.
The Frenchman's debut season started on a low note when he crashed during the warm-up lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, since then, he has emerged as one of the stand-out rookies of the year.
His performances included an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.
The team principal said: "Hadjar has displayed impressive growth and demonstrated to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."
The promoted driver called it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "up for the challenge".
Lawson Retains His Seat
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have chosen Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson started 2025 with the main team but was moved back after just two races. He has found his form at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he deserves more time.
Tsunoda, in contrast, has been ejected after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a P6, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's points total.
The driver market moves confirm that there remains no place on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.
