Red Bull Announces Significant 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Steps Up, Teenager Arvid Lindblad Earns Grand Prix Debut.
Isack Hadjar (left) made his debut at the season opener and is 10th in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 championship.
Red Bull has confirmed a major reshuffle for the 2026 F1 campaign, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its senior team and handing British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
Lindblad, 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 results in Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat following a five-year stint.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
Arvid Lindblad drove FP1 for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix in the current season.
Lindblad has been tagged as a rising talent by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Talking about the company's young driver programme, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", commending his "pure speed".
Red Bull prepared a programme for some time to ready Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring runs in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
Lindblad stated it was a "dream come true", commenting: "2026 will be a massive test, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm prepared to work closely with the team and rise to it. I am incredibly excited to get started."
Lindblad has taken two races in F2 so far this season and is P6 in the standings ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
Isack Hadjar enjoys his maiden top-three finish in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race this season.
The Frenchman's debut season started in difficult fashion when he crashed on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, 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 in tenth place in the championship.
A senior team figure said: "Hadjar has shown great maturity and proved 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 excel alongside Max."
The promoted driver called it "an awesome move" and said he felt "prepared".
Lawson Retains His Seat
For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have opted for Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
The New Zealander started 2025 with the main team but was demoted early in the year. He has found his form at Racing Bulls with notable results, convincing Red Bull he merits more time.
The Japanese driver, in contrast, loses his place after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a sixth place, and he has accumulated a minor percentage of the team's constructors' championship.
These announcements confirm that there is also no place on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.