Red Bull Announces Substantial 2026 Driver Roster: Hadjar Elevated, 18-Year-Old Arvid Lindblad Gets F1 Drive.
Isack Hadjar (left) made his debut at the season opener and is 10th in the standings. British teen Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the F2 standings.
The Austrian squad has announced a new line-up for the 2026 F1 campaign, promoting Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its A-team and awarding 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his maiden Formula 1 seat.
The young driver, who is of Swedish and Indian heritage, will be the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team VCARB.
This reshuffling means Japan's Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid post a half-decade in F1.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
The British teen took part in first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix in the current season.
Lindblad has been identified as a prodigy by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Discussing the company's young driver programme, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "appears very talented", praising his "pure speed".
The team has been working for some time to prepare Lindblad for his potential Grand Prix bow in 2026, including appearances in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.
The rookie said it was a "huge honour", commenting: "2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm prepared to work closely with the team and step up. I can't wait to get started."
Lindblad has taken two races in F2 this year and is P6 in the championship ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
The French driver celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved at the Zandvoort race in August.
Hadjar's F1 career started on a low note when he crashed during the warm-up lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has emerged as one of the most impressive newcomers this season.
His performances featured an outstanding top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies 10th in the championship.
The team principal commented: "Isack has displayed great maturity and proved to be a fast adapter. Crucially, he has the raw speed that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can excel next to Max."
Hadjar described it "a fantastic step" and said he felt "prepared".
Tsunoda's Exit
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have opted for Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson started 2025 with the main team but was demoted early in the year. He has settled back in at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he deserves more time.
The Japanese driver, in contrast, loses his place after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a sixth place, 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 programme for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.
