Red Bull Reveals Substantial 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Steps Up, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Earns Grand Prix Debut.
Isack Hadjar (left) made his debut at the season opener currently sitting tenth in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 championship.
The Austrian squad has revealed a new line-up for the 2026 F1 campaign, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its main squad and giving British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
Lindblad, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, is set to become team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.
This driver musical chairs means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid post a half-decade in F1.
The New British Hope
Arvid Lindblad drove FP1 for the British and Mexico City 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 company's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", praising his "natural quickness".
The team has had a plan for some time to prepare Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, including appearances in F1 practice sessions at Silverstone and Mexico City.
The rookie said it was a "proud moment", 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 am incredibly excited 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 final round in Abu Dhabi.
The Frenchman's Chance
The French driver celebrates his first podium in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race in August.
The Frenchman's debut season started on a low note when he spun out on the formation lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has been one of the stand-out newcomers of the year.
He featured an remarkable top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.
The team principal said: "Isack has displayed great maturity and proved to be a fast adapter. Crucially, he has the innate pace that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."
Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "up for the challenge".
The Lawson Decision
For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have opted for Lawson over Tsunoda.
Lawson started 2025 with the main team but was moved back after just two races. However, he has found his form at the junior outfit with notable results, convincing Red Bull he merits another season.
The Japanese driver, in contrast, has been ejected after a disappointing season. His best result is a P6, and he has scored a small fraction of the team's constructors' championship.
These announcements confirm that there is also no place on the Red Bull academy for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.
