Red Bull Reveals Major 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Elevated, Youngster Lindblad Secures F1 Drive.
French driver Hadjar (left) started his career in Australia currently sitting tenth in the championship. British teen Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the Formula 2 standings.
The Austrian squad has confirmed a new line-up for the 2026 F1 campaign, moving up French driver Isack Hadjar to its main squad and handing 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
Lindblad, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, is set to become the partner of Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.
This reshuffling means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat after five seasons.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
Arvid Lindblad participated in FP1 for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix in the current season.
The youngster was marked out as a rising talent by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Talking about the team's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", highlighting his "pure speed".
The team has been working for some time to prepare Lindblad for his potential F1 debut in 2026, including appearances in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City.
The rookie said it was a "proud moment", commenting: "2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm prepared to work closely 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 final round in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
Isack Hadjar 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 during the warm-up lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has emerged as one of the most impressive rookies this season.
His performances included an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the drivers' standings.
A senior team figure said: "Isack has displayed impressive growth and proved to be a quick learner. Crucially, he has the raw speed that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."
Hadjar described it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "up for the challenge".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have preferred Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the senior squad but was moved back early in the year. He has found his form at Racing Bulls with notable results, persuading Red Bull he merits another season.
Tsunoda, in contrast, loses his place after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a P6, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's constructors' championship.
These announcements confirm that there remains no spot on the Red Bull programme for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 for 2026.
