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The Austrian squad has announced significant changes for the 2026 Grand Prix year, elevating French driver Isack Hadjar to its senior team and awarding British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.

Lindblad, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at the junior outfit VCARB.

This driver musical chairs sees Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive following a five-year stint.

A Star in the Making

Lindblad has been marked out as a prodigy by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.

Discussing the company's young driver programme, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", highlighting his "pure speed".

Red Bull has had a plan for some time to ready Lindblad for his potential F1 debut in 2026, featuring runs in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City.

Lindblad stated it was a "dream come true", adding: "Next season represents a massive test, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm ready to collaborate 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 championship ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

A Major Opportunity for Hadjar

Hadjar's F1 career started in difficult fashion when he crashed during the warm-up lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has emerged as one of the stand-out rookies of the year.

He featured an remarkable top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.

The team principal commented: "Hadjar has displayed great maturity and proved to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can thrive alongside Max."

Hadjar described it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "up for the challenge".

Lawson Retains His Seat

For the seat at the junior team, Red Bull have chosen Lawson instead of Tsunoda.

Lawson started 2025 with the main team but was demoted early in the year. However, he has found his form at Racing Bulls with some strong performances, persuading Red Bull he merits another season.

Tsunoda, 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 points total.

The driver market moves confirm that there is also no place on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.