Red Bull Announces Significant 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Elevated, Teenager Lindblad Gets Grand Prix Debut.
French driver Hadjar (left) made his debut in Australia currently sitting 10th in the standings. Arvid Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the Formula 2 standings.
Red Bull has announced a major reshuffle for the 2026 Formula 1 season, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its A-team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his maiden F1 drive.
Lindblad, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, is set to become team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.
This reshuffling sees Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat post a half-decade in F1.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
Arvid Lindblad took part in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was marked out as a prodigy by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Talking about the team's junior academy, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "appears very talented", highlighting 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 the British and Mexican races.
Lindblad stated it was a "huge honour", adding: "2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm ready to collaborate with the team and rise to it. I am incredibly excited to get started."
Lindblad has taken a couple of victories in F2 so far this season and is sixth in the championship heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
The Frenchman's Chance
Isack Hadjar celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race in August.
Hadjar's F1 career started on a low note when he crashed on the formation lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. However, since then, he has emerged as one of the stand-out rookies of the year.
He featured an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies in tenth place in the championship.
The team principal commented: "Hadjar has shown great maturity and demonstrated to be a quick learner. Crucially, he has the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can excel next to Max."
The promoted driver called it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "up for the challenge".
Lawson Retains His Seat
To partner Lindblad at the junior team, Red Bull have opted for Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
The New Zealander started 2025 with the senior squad but was demoted after just two races. However, he has settled back in at the junior outfit with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he deserves more time.
Tsunoda, in contrast, loses his place after a difficult season. His best result is a sixth place, and he has scored a minor percentage of the team's points total.
The driver market moves mean that there remains no place on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.
