12 Aug 2026
Red Bull Announces Substantial 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Elevated, Youngster Lindblad Secures 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 F2 standings.
Red Bull has announced significant changes for the 2026 Grand Prix year, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its senior team and giving 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his debut Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who is of Swedish and Indian heritage, will be the partner of New Zealander Liam Lawson at the junior outfit Racing Bulls.
These changes sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid after five seasons.
A Star in the Making
Arvid Lindblad drove FP1 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.
Talking about the team's young driver programme, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", highlighting his "pure speed".
The team prepared a programme for some time to ready Lindblad for his likely F1 debut in 2026, featuring 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 much to understand, but I'm ready to collaborate with the team and meet the challenge. I can't wait to get started."
Lindblad has taken a couple of victories in F2 this year and is P6 in the championship heading into the final round in Abu Dhabi.
The Frenchman's Chance
The French driver celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race this season.
Hadjar's F1 career began on a low note when he spun out during the warm-up lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has been 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.
A senior team figure commented: "Hadjar has displayed impressive growth and demonstrated to be a fast adapter. Crucially, he has the innate pace that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can succeed next to Max."
Hadjar described it "a fantastic step" and said he felt "ready".
Tsunoda's Exit
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have opted for Lawson over Tsunoda.
The New Zealander began the season 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 more time.
Tsunoda, in contrast, loses his place 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 is also no place on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.