Red Bull Reveals Major 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Promoted, Teenager Arvid Lindblad Earns Grand Prix Debut.
French driver Hadjar (left) started his career in Australia and is 10th in the standings. Arvid Lindblad (right) is sixth in the Formula 2 championship.
Red Bull has announced a major reshuffle for the 2026 F1 campaign, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its main squad and giving British teenager Arvid Lindblad his first F1 drive.
Lindblad, who is of Swedish and Indian heritage, is set to become the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team VCARB.
This reshuffling sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid after five seasons.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
Arvid Lindblad participated in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix this year.
The youngster was tagged as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Regarding the team's young driver programme, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "appears very talented", praising his "natural quickness".
The team has had a plan for some time to ready Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring appearances in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
Lindblad stated it was a "huge honour", adding: "2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm prepared to collaborate with the team and meet the challenge. I am incredibly excited to get started."
He has won a couple of victories in F2 this year and is P6 in the championship heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
The French driver enjoys his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Dutch Grand Prix in August.
The Frenchman's debut season began on a low note when he spun out on the formation lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. However, since then, he has been one of the most impressive newcomers this season.
He included an remarkable top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies 10th in the drivers' standings.
The team principal said: "Hadjar has shown impressive growth and proved to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the innate pace that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can thrive next to Max."
Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "up for the challenge".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have opted for Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the senior squad but was moved back after just two races. However, he has settled back in at the junior outfit with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he merits another season.
The Japanese driver, in contrast, has been ejected after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a sixth place, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's points total.
These announcements mean that there remains no place on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.
