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The Red Bull team has confirmed significant changes for the 2026 F1 campaign, promoting French driver Isack Hadjar to its senior team and awarding 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his first F1 drive.

Lindblad, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, will be the partner of New Zealander Liam Lawson at the junior outfit Racing Bulls.

These changes means Japan's Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat post a half-decade in F1.

Who is Arvid Lindblad?

Lindblad has been marked out as a rising talent by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.

Discussing the team's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "looks really promising", commending his "natural quickness".

Red Bull prepared a programme since last year to prepare Lindblad for his likely F1 debut in 2026, including appearances in F1 practice sessions at the British and Mexican races.

The rookie said it was a "dream come true", commenting: "Next season represents a huge step, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm ready to work closely with the team and meet the challenge. I am incredibly excited to get started."

Lindblad has taken two races in F2 so far this season and is P6 in the standings ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

A Major Opportunity for Hadjar

The Frenchman's debut season began on a low note when he crashed on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. But, from that point, he has been one of the stand-out rookies of the year.

He featured an remarkable podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the drivers' standings.

A senior team figure said: "Hadjar has shown impressive growth and proved to be a fast adapter. Crucially, he has the raw speed that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can succeed alongside Max."

The promoted driver called it "an awesome move" and said he felt "ready".

Tsunoda's Exit

For the seat at the junior team, Red Bull have preferred Lawson over Tsunoda.

The New Zealander started 2025 with the main team but was demoted early in the year. However, he has settled back in at the junior outfit with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he deserves another season.

Tsunoda, in contrast, has been ejected after a disappointing season. His highest finish is a P6, and he has scored a minor percentage of the team's points total.

These announcements confirm that there is also no place on the Red Bull academy for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 for 2026.