Red Bull Announces Major 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Elevated, Youngster Arvid Lindblad Earns F1 Drive.
Isack Hadjar (left) made his debut in Australia and is tenth in the standings. British teen Lindblad (right) is sixth in the Formula 2 championship.
Red Bull has confirmed a major reshuffle for the 2026 F1 campaign, elevating 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 team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at the junior outfit VCARB.
This driver musical chairs means Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive after five seasons.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
The British teen took part in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix in the current season.
The youngster was marked out as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Regarding the company's junior academy, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "looks really promising", commending his "pure speed".
Red Bull has been working since last year to ready Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, including appearances in Grand Prix practice at the British and Mexican races.
The rookie said it was a "huge honour", commenting: "Next season represents a big challenge, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm eager to work closely with the team and meet the challenge. I can't wait to get started."
He has won two races in F2 this year and is P6 in the standings heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
Isack Hadjar celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race in August.
Hadjar's F1 career began on a low note when he crashed during the warm-up lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. However, since then, he has been one of the most impressive newcomers this season.
His performances included an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies in tenth place in the championship.
The team principal said: "Isack has shown impressive growth and demonstrated to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the innate pace that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can succeed next to Max."
The promoted driver called it "a fantastic step" and said he felt "prepared".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at the junior team, Red Bull have chosen Lawson over Tsunoda.
The New Zealander started 2025 with the senior squad but was moved back after just two races. However, he has settled back in at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he merits another season.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, has been ejected after a difficult season. His best result is a sixth place, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's points total.
These announcements confirm that there remains no place on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.
