Red Bull Confirms Major 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Elevated, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Secures Grand Prix Debut.
French driver Hadjar (left) made his debut in Australia and is tenth in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the F2 championship.
The Austrian squad has revealed a new line-up for the 2026 F1 campaign, promoting Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its main squad and giving British teenager Arvid Lindblad his first Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who is of Swedish and Indian heritage, will be the partner of New Zealander Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.
This reshuffling results in Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive following a five-year stint.
A Star in the Making
The British teen participated in first practice for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was marked out as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Talking about the company's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", highlighting his "natural quickness".
The team has been working since last year to ready Lindblad for his likely F1 debut in 2026, featuring runs in F1 practice sessions at Silverstone and Mexico City.
The rookie said it was a "proud moment", adding: "2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm prepared to collaborate with the team and step up. I am incredibly excited to get started."
Lindblad has taken a couple of victories 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
The French driver celebrates his first podium 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. But, from that point, he has emerged as one of the stand-out newcomers this season.
His performances featured an remarkable podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies in tenth place in the championship.
A senior team figure commented: "Hadjar has displayed great maturity and proved to be a quick learner. Crucially, he has the innate pace that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can thrive next to Max."
The promoted driver called it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "prepared".
Tsunoda's Exit
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 early in the year. However, he has found his form at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he deserves more time.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, loses his place after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a P6, and he has accumulated a minor percentage of the team's constructors' championship.
The driver market moves mean that there remains no place on the Red Bull academy for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.