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Red Bull has announced a new line-up for the 2026 Formula 1 season, moving up Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its A-team and awarding 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his maiden F1 drive.

Lindblad, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, is set to become team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the sister squad Racing Bulls.

This driver musical chairs sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat after five seasons.

A Star in the Making

Lindblad has been tagged as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.

Regarding the company's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure noted last year that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", highlighting his "pure speed".

The team prepared a programme since last year to ready Lindblad for his likely F1 debut in 2026, featuring runs in Grand Prix practice at the British and Mexican races.

Lindblad stated it was a "huge honour", adding: "Next season represents a big challenge, 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 two races in F2 so far this season and is sixth in the standings ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi.

The Frenchman's Chance

The Frenchman's debut season started in difficult fashion when he crashed on the formation lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, from that point, he has emerged as one of the stand-out newcomers of the year.

His performances featured an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the championship.

The team principal said: "Isack has shown impressive growth and proved to be a fast adapter. Crucially, he has the innate pace that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can excel next to Max."

Hadjar described it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "ready".

Lawson Retains His Seat

To partner Lindblad at the junior team, Red Bull have preferred Lawson instead of Tsunoda.

Lawson started 2025 with the main team but was demoted after just two races. However, he has settled back in at the junior outfit with notable results, convincing Red Bull he merits another season.

Tsunoda, meanwhile, loses his place after a disappointing season. His best result is a P6, and he has accumulated a small fraction of the team's constructors' championship.

These announcements confirm that there is also no spot on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 next season.