Red Bull Announces Substantial 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Promoted, Teenager Arvid Lindblad Earns Formula 1 Seat.
French driver Hadjar (left) made his debut in Australia and is tenth in the standings. British teen Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the Formula 2 championship.
The Austrian squad has announced a major reshuffle for the 2026 Formula 1 season, elevating French driver Isack Hadjar to its main squad and awarding 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his maiden F1 drive.
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 sister squad VCARB.
This driver musical chairs sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive post a half-decade in F1.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
The British teen drove first practice for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix in the current season.
The youngster was identified as a prodigy by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Talking about the team's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure noted last year that Lindblad "looks really promising", commending his "raw pace".
Red Bull has had a plan for some time to prepare Lindblad for his potential Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring appearances in Grand Prix practice at the British and Mexican races.
Lindblad stated it was a "huge honour", adding: "2026 will be a huge step, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm prepared to work closely with the team and meet the challenge. I am incredibly excited to get started."
Lindblad has taken a couple of victories in F2 so far this season and is P6 in the standings heading into the final round in Abu Dhabi.
Hadjar's Big Break
The French driver celebrates his maiden top-three finish in F1, achieved 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 first Australian Grand Prix. But, from that point, he has emerged as one of the most impressive newcomers this season.
His performances featured an excellent top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the drivers' standings.
The team principal said: "Hadjar has displayed great maturity and proved to be a fast adapter. 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 "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "ready".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at the junior team, Red Bull have preferred Lawson over Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the main team but was demoted after just two races. However, he has found his form at the junior outfit with notable results, persuading Red Bull he merits another season.
The Japanese driver, in contrast, loses his place after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a sixth place, and he has scored a small fraction of the team's constructors' championship.
These announcements mean that there is also no spot on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.
