Red Bull Reveals Substantial 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Promoted, Teenager Lindblad Gets F1 Drive.
French driver Hadjar (left) started his career in Australia currently sitting tenth in the championship. British teen Lindblad (right) is sixth in the F2 standings.
Red Bull has announced a new line-up for the 2026 Formula 1 season, elevating French driver Isack Hadjar to its main squad and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his first Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.
This driver musical chairs means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat after five seasons.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
The British teen participated in FP1 for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix this year.
Lindblad has been identified as a prodigy by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Discussing the team's junior academy, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", commending his "natural quickness".
The team has been working for some time to prepare Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, including runs in F1 practice sessions at Silverstone and Mexico City.
Lindblad stated it was a "proud moment", adding: "2026 will be a massive test, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm ready to work closely with the team and rise to it. I can't wait to get started."
He has won two races in F2 this year and is sixth in the standings ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
The French driver celebrates his first podium in F1, achieved at the Dutch Grand Prix this season.
The Frenchman's debut season started in difficult fashion when he crashed on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has emerged as one of the stand-out rookies of the year.
He included an excellent top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies 10th in the drivers' standings.
The team principal said: "Isack has shown impressive growth and proved to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the innate pace that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can succeed next to Max."
Hadjar described it "a fantastic step" and said he felt "up for the challenge".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at the junior team, Red Bull have preferred Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the senior squad but was moved back after just two races. He has settled back in at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he deserves more time.
The Japanese driver, in contrast, loses his place after a difficult season. His highest finish is a P6, and he has accumulated a minor percentage of the team's points total.
These announcements confirm that there remains no spot on the Red Bull academy for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.
