Red Bull Reveals Major 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Elevated, Teenager Lindblad Gets Grand Prix Debut.
Isack Hadjar (left) started his career at the season opener and is 10th in the standings. Arvid Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 championship.
The Red Bull team has announced a major reshuffle for the 2026 F1 campaign, moving up Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its main squad and handing 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his maiden Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who is of Swedish and Indian heritage, is set to become the partner of New Zealander Liam Lawson at the second team VCARB.
This driver musical chairs sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid post a half-decade in F1.
A Star in the Making
The British teen took part in FP1 for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix in the current season.
Lindblad has been identified as a rising talent by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Discussing the team's young driver programme, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "appears very talented", highlighting his "natural quickness".
The team has been working since last year to ready Lindblad for his potential F1 debut in 2026, including runs in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City.
The rookie said it was a "dream come true", adding: "2026 will be a huge step, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm ready to collaborate with the team and rise to it. I am incredibly excited to get started."
He has won a couple of victories in F2 this year and is P6 in the standings heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
Isack Hadjar enjoys his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race in August.
The Frenchman's debut season began on a low note when he crashed on the formation lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, from that point, he has emerged as one of the most impressive newcomers of the year.
He featured an excellent top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.
A senior team figure commented: "Hadjar has displayed 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 succeed next to Max."
The promoted driver called it "an awesome move" and said he felt "prepared".
The Lawson Decision
For the seat at the junior team, Red Bull have opted for Lawson over Tsunoda.
Lawson started 2025 with the senior squad but was demoted after just two races. However, he has settled back in at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he deserves another season.
The Japanese driver, meanwhile, loses his place after a disappointing season. His best result is a sixth place, and he has scored a small fraction of the team's points total.
The driver market moves confirm that there remains no spot on the Red Bull programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.
