Red Bull Announces Major 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Steps Up, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Gets Formula 1 Seat.
Isack Hadjar (left) started his career at the season opener currently sitting tenth in the championship. British teen Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the F2 standings.
The Red Bull team has announced a major reshuffle for the 2026 Formula 1 season, promoting Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its A-team and handing British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
Lindblad, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, will be the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the sister squad Racing Bulls.
These changes means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat post a half-decade in F1.
A Star in the Making
The British teen took part in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
Lindblad has been marked out as a rising talent by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Talking about the company's junior academy, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "looks really promising", highlighting his "pure speed".
Red Bull prepared a programme since last year to prepare Lindblad for his potential F1 debut in 2026, featuring runs in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
The rookie said it was a "dream come true", commenting: "2026 will be a huge step, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm prepared 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.
Hadjar's Big Break
Isack Hadjar celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race in August.
The Frenchman's debut season began in difficult fashion when he spun out on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has been one of the stand-out rookies of the year.
He featured an outstanding top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies 10th in the championship.
The team principal commented: "Isack has displayed great maturity and demonstrated to be a fast adapter. Most importantly, he has the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can excel alongside Max."
The promoted driver called it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "ready".
The Lawson Decision
For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have chosen Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the main team but was demoted after just two races. He has settled back in at the junior outfit with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he merits more time.
The Japanese driver, meanwhile, loses his place after a disappointing season. His best result is a sixth place, and he has scored a small fraction of the team's points total.
The driver market moves confirm that there is also no place on the Red Bull academy for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.
