Red Bull Announces Significant 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Steps Up, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Earns F1 Drive.
French driver Hadjar (left) started his career at the season opener currently sitting tenth in the championship. British teen Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 standings.
Red Bull has revealed a new line-up for the 2026 Grand Prix year, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its senior team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his maiden F1 drive.
The young driver, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, will be the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the sister squad Racing Bulls.
This reshuffling results in Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid post a half-decade in F1.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
Arvid Lindblad drove first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was identified as a prodigy by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Talking about the company's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", commending his "pure speed".
The team has had a plan since last year 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: "2026 will be a massive test, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm prepared to work closely with the team and meet the challenge. I am incredibly excited to get started."
Lindblad has taken a couple of victories in F2 this year and is sixth in the standings ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
Isack Hadjar celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race this season.
The Frenchman's debut season began in difficult fashion when he crashed on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. But, from that point, he has emerged as one of the stand-out rookies this season.
He included an outstanding podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.
A senior team figure commented: "Isack has displayed impressive growth and proved to be a fast adapter. Crucially, he has the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can excel next to Max."
Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "prepared".
Tsunoda's Exit
For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have preferred Lawson over Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the main team but was moved back after just two races. However, he has settled back in at the junior outfit with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he merits more time.
The Japanese driver, meanwhile, has been ejected after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a sixth place, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's points total.
These announcements mean that there is also no spot on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 for 2026.