Red Bull Confirms Significant 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Promoted, Youngster Arvid Lindblad Secures F1 Drive.
Isack Hadjar (left) made his debut at the season opener and is 10th in the championship. British teen Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the F2 championship.
The Austrian squad has announced a major reshuffle for the 2026 Formula 1 season, moving up French driver Isack Hadjar to its main squad and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his first Formula 1 seat.
Lindblad, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, is set to become the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the junior outfit VCARB.
This reshuffling results in Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive following a five-year stint.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
The British teen participated in FP1 for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was identified as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Talking about the company's young driver programme, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "appears very talented", highlighting his "pure speed".
Red Bull prepared a programme for some time to prepare Lindblad for his potential Grand Prix bow in 2026, including appearances in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City.
The rookie said it was a "proud moment", commenting: "Next season represents a massive test, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm prepared to work closely with the team and step up. I am incredibly excited to get started."
He has won two races in F2 so far this season and is sixth in the standings ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
The French driver enjoys his first podium in F1, secured at the Dutch Grand Prix this season.
Hadjar's F1 career started in difficult fashion when he crashed during the warm-up lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, from that point, he has emerged as one of the most impressive rookies of the year.
He featured an outstanding top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the drivers' standings.
A senior team figure said: "Isack has shown impressive growth and demonstrated to be a fast adapter. Most importantly, 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 over Tsunoda.
The New Zealander started 2025 with the senior squad but was moved back early in the year. He has settled back in at the junior outfit with notable results, convincing Red Bull he merits more time.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, loses his place after a disappointing season. His best result is a P6, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's points total.
The driver market moves confirm that there remains no spot on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.
