Red Bull Announces Substantial 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Elevated, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Secures Formula 1 Seat.
French driver Hadjar (left) made his debut in Australia currently sitting tenth in the standings. British teen Lindblad (right) is sixth in the Formula 2 standings.
Red Bull has revealed a major reshuffle for the 2026 Grand Prix year, elevating Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its senior team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut Formula 1 seat.
Lindblad, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, is set to become the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team VCARB.
This reshuffling means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive after five seasons.
A Star in the Making
Arvid Lindblad took part in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was marked out as a rising talent by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Talking about the team's junior academy, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "appears very talented", commending his "raw pace".
The team has had a plan since last year to ready Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, including runs in Grand Prix practice at the British and Mexican races.
Lindblad stated it was a "huge honour", commenting: "2026 will be a huge step, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm ready to work closely with the team and rise to it. I am incredibly excited to get started."
Lindblad has taken two races in F2 this year and is P6 in the standings ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
Isack Hadjar celebrates his first podium in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race this season.
Hadjar's F1 career began in difficult fashion when he spun out on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has emerged as one of the stand-out newcomers this season.
His performances featured an outstanding top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits 10th in the drivers' standings.
The team principal commented: "Isack has shown impressive growth and demonstrated to be a fast adapter. Most importantly, he has the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can excel next to Max."
The promoted driver called it "an awesome move" and said he felt "prepared".
Lawson Retains His Seat
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have opted for Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson 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 some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he merits more time.
The Japanese driver, in contrast, has been ejected after a disappointing season. His best result is a P6, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's points total.
These announcements mean that there is also no spot on the Red Bull academy for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.
