Red Bull Confirms Significant 2026 Driver Line-Up: Hadjar Elevated, Youngster Arvid Lindblad Earns F1 Drive.
French driver Hadjar (left) started his career at the season opener and is tenth in the championship. Arvid Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the Formula 2 standings.
The Red Bull team has confirmed a major reshuffle for the 2026 Formula 1 season, moving up Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its A-team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.
The young driver, who is of Swedish and Indian heritage, will be team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at the sister squad Racing Bulls.
This driver musical chairs results in Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive following a five-year stint.
Who is Arvid Lindblad?
The British teen participated in FP1 for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix in the current season.
Lindblad has been marked out as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.
Talking about the company's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure noted last year that Lindblad "appears very talented", commending his "pure speed".
The team prepared a programme since last year to ready Lindblad for his potential F1 debut in 2026, featuring appearances in Grand Prix practice at the British and Mexican races.
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 prepared to collaborate with the team and step up. I am incredibly excited to get started."
He has won two races in F2 so far this season and is sixth in the standings ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
The Frenchman's Chance
Isack Hadjar enjoys 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 crashed on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, since then, he has been one of the stand-out rookies this season.
His performances featured an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits 10th in the championship.
The team principal commented: "Hadjar 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 succeed next to Max."
Hadjar described it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "ready".
The Lawson Decision
For the seat at the junior team, Red Bull have opted for Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the senior squad but was demoted early in the year. However, he has settled back in at the junior outfit with notable results, persuading Red Bull he deserves another season.
Tsunoda, meanwhile, has been ejected after a difficult season. His highest finish is a sixth place, and he has accumulated a minor percentage of the team's points total.
The driver market moves mean that there remains no place on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.
