Red Bull Reveals Major 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Elevated, 18-Year-Old Lindblad Gets Grand Prix Debut.
French driver Hadjar (left) made his debut in Australia and is tenth in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 championship.
The Red Bull team has revealed significant changes for the 2026 Grand Prix year, promoting Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its main squad and giving British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
The young driver, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, is set to become team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the sister squad Racing Bulls.
This driver musical chairs results in Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat following a five-year stint.
The New British Hope
Arvid Lindblad took part in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was tagged as a rising talent 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", praising his "pure speed".
Red Bull has been working since last year to prepare Lindblad for his potential F1 debut in 2026, featuring runs in Grand Prix practice at the British and Mexican races.
Lindblad stated it was a "huge honour", adding: "2026 will be a massive test, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm eager to work closely with the team and meet the challenge. I can't wait to get started."
He has won a couple of victories in F2 this year and is sixth in the championship heading into the final round in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
The French driver enjoys his first podium in F1, secured at the Dutch Grand Prix in August.
Hadjar's F1 career started in difficult fashion when he crashed on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has been one of the stand-out rookies this season.
He included an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies 10th in the drivers' standings.
A senior team figure said: "Isack has displayed great maturity and demonstrated to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."
Hadjar described it "a fantastic step" and said he felt "ready".
Lawson Retains His Seat
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have opted for Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the main team but was demoted after just two races. However, he has found his form at the junior outfit with notable results, persuading Red Bull he merits another season.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, loses his place after a difficult season. His highest finish is a P6, and he has scored a small fraction 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 continue in F2 for 2026.
