Red Bull Confirms Significant 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Steps Up, Youngster Lindblad Secures Formula 1 Seat.
French driver Hadjar (left) started his career in Australia and is 10th in the championship. British teen Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the F2 championship.
The Austrian squad has announced a new line-up for the 2026 F1 campaign, elevating Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its senior team and handing 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
The young driver, who is of Swedish and Indian heritage, will be the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.
These changes results in Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid post a half-decade in F1.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
The British teen participated in FP1 for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix in the current season.
Lindblad has been marked out as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Talking about the team's young driver programme, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "appears very talented", praising his "pure speed".
Red Bull prepared a programme for some time to ready Lindblad for his likely F1 debut in 2026, including appearances in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City.
Lindblad stated it was a "huge honour", adding: "Next season represents a massive test, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm prepared to collaborate with the team and step up. I am incredibly excited to get started."
He has won a couple of victories in F2 so far this season and is sixth in the standings heading into the final round in Abu Dhabi.
The Frenchman's Chance
The French driver celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race in August.
Hadjar's F1 career started in difficult fashion when he crashed during the warm-up lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has been one of the stand-out rookies of the year.
He included an remarkable podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.
The team principal commented: "Isack has displayed great maturity and demonstrated to be a quick learner. Crucially, he has the innate pace that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can thrive next to Max."
The promoted driver called it "an awesome move" and said he felt "ready".
Tsunoda's Exit
For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have preferred Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the main team but was moved back after just two races. However, he has found his form at Racing Bulls with notable results, convincing Red Bull he merits more time.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, has been ejected after a difficult season. His best result is a P6, and he has scored a minor percentage of the team's constructors' championship.
The driver market moves mean that there is also no spot on the Red Bull programme for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.
