🔗 Share this article Red Bull Confirms Significant 2026 Driver Seats: Hadjar Steps Up, 18-Year-Old Lindblad Gets 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 standings. The Austrian squad has announced a new line-up for the 2026 Grand Prix year, elevating Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its main squad and handing 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive. The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be the partner of New Zealander Liam Lawson at the sister squad Racing Bulls. This driver musical chairs sees Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat post a half-decade in F1. A Star in the Making The British teen participated in FP1 for the British and Mexico City Grands Prix in the current season. The youngster was tagged as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old. Talking about the company's junior academy, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "appears very talented", commending his "natural quickness". The team prepared a programme for some time to prepare Lindblad for his potential Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring appearances in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City. Lindblad stated it was a "dream come true", commenting: "Next season represents a huge step, and I know there's plenty to absorb, but I'm eager to work closely with the team and rise to it. I can't wait to get started." He has won a couple of victories in F2 this year and is P6 in the championship heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi. A Major Opportunity for Hadjar The French driver celebrates his first podium in F1, secured at the Dutch Grand Prix this season. The Frenchman's debut season started in difficult fashion when he spun out during the warm-up lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has emerged as one of the stand-out newcomers of the year. He featured an outstanding top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits 10th in the championship. A senior team figure said: "Hadjar has shown impressive growth and proved to be a fast adapter. Most importantly, he has the raw speed that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can excel alongside Max." Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "up for the challenge". The Lawson Decision To partner Lindblad at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have preferred Lawson over Tsunoda. Lawson started 2025 with the senior squad but was moved back early in the year. However, he has settled back in at Racing Bulls with notable results, convincing Red Bull he deserves more time. Tsunoda, in contrast, loses his place after a difficult season. His highest finish 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 programme for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.