Red Bull Reveals Significant 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Steps Up, Youngster Lindblad Gets Grand Prix Debut.
Isack Hadjar (left) started his career at the season opener and is 10th in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the Formula 2 championship.
Red Bull has confirmed a major reshuffle for the 2026 Grand Prix year, elevating Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its main squad and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
Lindblad, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, is set to become team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the junior outfit VCARB.
These changes means Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive following a five-year stint.
A Star in the Making
Arvid Lindblad took part in FP1 for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was identified as a prodigy by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Discussing the team's young driver programme, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "appears very talented", highlighting his "raw pace".
The team has been working for some time to ready Lindblad for his potential Grand Prix bow in 2026, including appearances in Grand Prix practice 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 a lot to learn, but I'm ready to work closely with the team and step up. I am incredibly excited 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
The French driver enjoys his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race in August.
The Frenchman's debut season began in difficult fashion when he spun out on the formation lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has emerged as one of the stand-out newcomers this season.
His performances featured an outstanding podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits 10th in the drivers' standings.
The team principal said: "Hadjar has shown great maturity and demonstrated to be a fast adapter. Crucially, he has the innate pace that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can excel next to Max."
The promoted driver called it "a fantastic step" and said he felt "prepared".
Tsunoda's Exit
To partner Lindblad at the junior team, Red Bull have preferred Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
The New Zealander started 2025 with the senior squad but was moved back early in the year. However, he has settled back in at the junior outfit with notable results, convincing Red Bull he merits more time.
Tsunoda, in contrast, has been ejected after a difficult season. His highest finish is a sixth place, and he has accumulated a minor percentage of the team's constructors' championship.
The driver market moves mean that there remains no spot on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 for 2026.
