Red Bull Reveals Significant 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Steps Up, Youngster Arvid Lindblad Secures Grand Prix Debut.
Isack Hadjar (left) started his career in Australia currently sitting 10th in the championship. British teen Lindblad (right) holds sixth place in the F2 championship.
The Austrian squad has confirmed a new line-up for the 2026 Grand Prix year, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its A-team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his maiden F1 drive.
The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, is set to become team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the junior outfit VCARB.
This driver musical chairs sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat after five seasons.
A Star in the Making
Arvid Lindblad took part in FP1 for the Silverstone and Mexican Grands Prix in the current season.
The youngster was tagged as a rising talent by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.
Talking about the company's junior academy, a senior Red Bull figure noted last year that Lindblad "looks really promising", praising his "raw pace".
The team has had a plan since last year to ready Lindblad for his potential Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring runs in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City.
Lindblad stated it was a "dream come true", commenting: "2026 will be a huge step, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm ready to collaborate 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 final round in Abu Dhabi.
A Major Opportunity for Hadjar
The French driver enjoys his first podium in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race in August.
Hadjar's F1 career started in difficult fashion when he spun out during the warm-up lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has been one of the most impressive rookies of the year.
His performances featured an remarkable top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits 10th in the championship.
A senior team figure said: "Isack has displayed great maturity and demonstrated to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the raw speed that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."
The promoted driver called it "a fantastic step" and said he felt "prepared".
The Lawson Decision
To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have preferred Lawson instead of Tsunoda.
Lawson began the season with the main team but was demoted after just two races. He has settled back in at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he deserves another season.
The Japanese driver, in contrast, has been ejected after a difficult season. His best result is a P6, 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 Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 for 2026.
