Red Bull Racing Revamps Driver Lineup for 2026 Season with Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad

Red Bull Racing is set to shake up its Formula 1 driver lineup for the 2026 season by bringing in 21-year-old French driver Isack Hadjar as Max Verstappen's new teammate. Hadjar, who has yet to win in his debut F1 season, will replace Yuki Tsunoda, who is leaving both Red Bull and Formula 1 following a disappointing performance that left him 15th in the driver standings. The internal anticipation of Hadjar’s promotion has been confirmed by multiple sources, including the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf and BILD, though an official statement from Red Bull is still awaited.

To fill the vacancy left by Hadjar at the sister team, Racing Bulls, Red Bull will promote 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad from Formula 2 and the Red Bull driver academy. Lindblad is highly regarded as a potential future world champion, but there remain internal questions about his ability to secure a top-tier position in Formula 1. Despite some skepticism, Red Bull's motorsport chief Dr. Helmut Marko has shown confidence in Lindblad’s talent.

This driver shuffle reflects Red Bull’s strategic approach to maintain competitive excellence. Hadjar, initially seen as a temporary solution, will now directly challenge for podium finishes alongside Verstappen, a five-time world champion who recently won the Qatar Grand Prix and is in a tight championship battle. Meanwhile, Lindblad’s entry into Racing Bulls marks a critical step in Red Bull’s long-term talent development pipeline.