Red Bull Reveals Significant 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Steps Up, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Secures Formula 1 Seat.
French driver Hadjar (left) made his debut at the season opener currently sitting 10th in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 standings.
The Red Bull team has revealed significant changes for the 2026 F1 campaign, promoting Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its senior team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his maiden Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, is set to become team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.
This reshuffling results in Japan's Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat following a five-year stint.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
The British teen drove FP1 for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was tagged as a rising talent by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Discussing the team's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", highlighting his "pure speed".
Red Bull prepared a programme since last year to ready Lindblad for his potential F1 debut in 2026, including runs in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
The rookie said it was a "dream come true", adding: "2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm ready 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 season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
The French driver celebrates his first podium in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race this season.
Hadjar's F1 career started on a low note when he spun out on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, since then, he has been one of the stand-out newcomers of the year.
He included an remarkable top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.
The team principal said: "Hadjar has shown impressive growth and demonstrated to be a fast adapter. Most importantly, he has the innate pace that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."
Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "prepared".
Lawson Retains His Seat
For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have chosen Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
The New Zealander started 2025 with the main team but was demoted early in the year. However, he has found his form at the junior outfit with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he deserves another season.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, loses his place after a difficult season. His best result is a P6, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's points total.
These announcements confirm that there remains no spot on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.
