Red Bull Confirms Significant 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Steps Up, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Gets F1 Drive.
French driver Hadjar (left) made his debut at the season opener and is 10th in the standings. Arvid Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the Formula 2 standings.
Red Bull has confirmed a new line-up for the 2026 Grand Prix year, moving up French driver Isack Hadjar to its senior team and giving British teenager Arvid Lindblad his maiden Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the sister squad VCARB.
This driver musical chairs means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat following a five-year stint.
A Star in the Making
Arvid Lindblad drove first practice for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix in the current season.
Lindblad has been marked out as a prodigy by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Discussing the company's young driver programme, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", commending his "pure speed".
The team has been working since last year to ready Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring appearances in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
The rookie said it was a "proud moment", commenting: "Next season represents a big challenge, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm eager to collaborate with the team and step up. I can't wait to get started."
Lindblad has taken a couple of victories in F2 so far this season and is P6 in the championship ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
The French driver celebrates his first podium in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race this season.
The Frenchman's debut season started on a low note when he spun out during the warm-up lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. However, since then, he has emerged as one of the stand-out rookies this season.
His performances featured an outstanding top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits 10th in the drivers' standings.
A senior team figure said: "Isack has shown impressive growth and proved 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."
Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "prepared".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have chosen Lawson over Tsunoda.
Lawson started 2025 with the senior squad but was moved back early in the year. He has settled back in at the junior outfit with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he deserves another season.
Tsunoda, in contrast, has been ejected after a disappointing season. His best result is a sixth place, and he has accumulated a minor percentage 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 remain in F2 for 2026.
