Red Bull Confirms Major 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Promoted, Youngster Lindblad Gets Formula 1 Seat.
Isack Hadjar (left) started his career in Australia and is tenth in the standings. British teen Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the F2 championship.
The Austrian squad has confirmed significant changes for the 2026 Grand Prix year, moving up French driver Isack Hadjar to its A-team and handing 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his first Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, is set to become the partner of New Zealander Liam Lawson at the junior outfit Racing Bulls.
This driver musical chairs sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat following a five-year stint.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
Arvid Lindblad drove FP1 for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix this year.
Lindblad has been marked out as a rising talent by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Talking about the team's young driver programme, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "looks really promising", praising his "natural quickness".
Red Bull prepared a programme since last year to prepare Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring runs in F1 practice sessions at Silverstone and Mexico City.
Lindblad stated it was a "dream come true", commenting: "2026 will be a huge step, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm ready to collaborate with the team and step up. I can't wait to get started."
He has won a couple of victories in F2 so far this season and is sixth in the championship heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
Isack Hadjar celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race this season.
The Frenchman's debut season started in difficult fashion when he crashed on the formation lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has emerged as one of the stand-out newcomers of the year.
He featured an outstanding top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies 10th in the drivers' standings.
A senior team figure said: "Hadjar has displayed impressive growth and demonstrated to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the innate pace that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can succeed alongside Max."
Hadjar described it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "ready".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at the junior team, Red Bull have opted for Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson started 2025 with the main team but was demoted after just two races. He has settled back in at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he deserves another season.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, has been ejected after a disappointing season. His best result is a P6, and he has scored a minor percentage of the team's points total.
These announcements mean that there is also no place on the Red Bull academy for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.
