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The Austrian squad has confirmed a major reshuffle for the 2026 Grand Prix year, moving up Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its senior team and handing British teenager Arvid Lindblad his first F1 drive.

Lindblad, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at the sister squad VCARB.

This reshuffling means Japan's Yuki Tsunoda being without a drive following a five-year stint.

The New British Hope

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

Regarding the team's young driver programme, a key advisor noted last year that Lindblad "looks really promising", highlighting his "pure speed".

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

Lindblad stated it was a "proud moment", adding: "2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there's much to understand, but I'm prepared to collaborate with the team and rise to it. I am incredibly excited to get started."

He has won a couple of victories in F2 this year and is sixth in the championship ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

A Major Opportunity for Hadjar

Hadjar's F1 career started on a low note when he spun out on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has been one of the stand-out newcomers of the year.

His performances included an outstanding top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies in tenth place in the drivers' standings.

The team principal said: "Hadjar has displayed great maturity and demonstrated to be a fast adapter. Most importantly, 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 awesome move" and said he felt "ready".

The Lawson Decision

For the seat at Racing Bulls, Red Bull have preferred Lawson over Tsunoda.

Lawson started 2025 with the senior squad but was demoted early in the year. He has found his form at the junior outfit with some strong performances, 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.

The driver market moves mean that there remains no spot on the Red Bull programme for Ireland's Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.