Hadjar Promoted to Red Bull Racing Seat for 2026, Lindblad Set to Debut at Racing Bulls

Sports

In a major shake up ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Red Bull Racing confirmed that Isack Hadjar will join Max Verstappen as his teammate next year. The promotion comes after Hadjar’s strong rookie campaign with the sister team. Meanwhile, 18 year old Arvid Lindblad will make his F1 debut with Racing Bulls alongside Liam Lawson, while Yuki Tsunoda moves to a test and reserve role.

Hadjar earned the seat thanks to a season that featured solid points finishes and a maiden podium at the Dutch Grand Prix. Red Bull saw enough maturity and raw speed to move him up from Racing Bulls to the senior squad for the new regulation era starting in 2026. Lindblad’s promotion reflects the team’s commitment to youth he impressed during his Red Bull junior outings and in the feeder series, and now becomes one of the youngest drivers on the 2026 grid.

For Verstappen, this will be his fourth different teammate in just over a year. Hadjar inherits a challenging but promising role, aiming to match Red Bull’s championship ambitions. For Tsunoda, the reassignment marks a step back from full time racing but keeps him in the Red Bull ecosystem. Racing Bulls’ line up with Lawson and Lindblad points to a strategic youth focused rebuild.

With these changes, the 2026 driver grid is now locked in. Red Bull enters the regulation overhaul with a fresh driver structure a blend of experienced championship pedigree and young talent, setting the stage for a potentially dramatic new chapter in their Formula 1 journey.