🔗 Share this article Red Bull Reveals Major 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Steps Up, Teenager Arvid Lindblad Gets Grand Prix Debut. French driver Hadjar (left) started his career at the season opener currently sitting 10th in the championship. British teen Lindblad (right) is sixth in the Formula 2 standings. Red Bull has confirmed a major reshuffle for the 2026 F1 campaign, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its main squad and handing 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his maiden Formula 1 seat. Lindblad, who is of Swedish and Indian heritage, is set to become team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the second team VCARB. These changes sees Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda exiting the grid following a five-year stint. A Star in the Making The British teen took part 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 junior academy, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", praising his "raw pace". Red Bull prepared a programme since last year to ready Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring runs in F1 practice sessions at Silverstone and Mexico City. The rookie said it was a "proud moment", adding: "2026 will be a huge step, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm ready to collaborate with the team and rise to it. I am incredibly excited to get started." He has won a couple of victories in F2 so far this season and is P6 in the standings heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi. The Frenchman's Chance The French driver enjoys his maiden top-three finish in F1, secured at the Zandvoort race this season. Hadjar's F1 career began on a low note when he crashed on the formation lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, from that point, he has been one of the stand-out rookies of the year. He featured an excellent top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits 10th in the championship. A senior team figure said: "Hadjar has displayed impressive growth 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 excel next to Max." The promoted driver called it "an awesome move" and said he felt "ready". The Lawson Decision For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have opted for Lawson over Tsunoda. The New Zealander started 2025 with the senior squad but was moved back after just two races. However, he has settled back in at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he merits another season. The Japanese driver, in contrast, has been ejected after a difficult season. His best result is a P6, and he has scored a small fraction of the team's points total. These announcements confirm that there is also no place on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 next season.