London, December 06, 2025
Red Bull Racing has announced that Isack Hadjar will be promoted to its senior Formula 1 team for the 2026 season, replacing Yuki Tsunoda and partnering with Max Verstappen, while Arvid Lindblad will enter F1 with Red Bull’s junior team Racing Bulls alongside Liam Lawson. These changes are part of Red Bull’s strategic recalibration ahead of major technical regulation shifts and the introduction of their own power unit in 2026.
Hadjar’s elevation to the senior team marks a significant development in his career following a strong rookie F1 season with Racing Bulls in 2025. He secured multiple points finishes and an impressive podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, demonstrating consistent performance that convinced Red Bull of his readiness to compete at the highest level.
Concurrently, Arvid Lindblad, a British teenager, will make his Formula 1 debut driving for Racing Bulls, the Red Bull junior team, alongside Liam Lawson. Lindblad’s promotion reflects Red Bull’s ongoing commitment to developing young talent within its driver pipeline, aiming to nurture adaptable drivers capable of handling the new aerodynamic and engine regulations introduced in the forthcoming 2026 season.
The driver lineup changes coincide with significant shifts in Formula 1 regulations. In 2026, sweeping aerodynamic reforms and a transition from Honda engines to Red Bull’s proprietary power unit will take effect. Red Bull’s investment in young drivers like Hadjar and Lindblad is a strategic move to foster adaptability and competitiveness under the new technical framework.
Hadjar expressed gratitude for the opportunity, emphasizing that the promotion results from years of dedicated effort and signals the beginning of a new stage in his professional trajectory. The decision to replace Tsunoda with Hadjar underlines Red Bull Racing’s confidence in his potential to complement Verstappen, a two-time world champion, and strengthen their title ambitions.
Red Bull’s approach highlights a clear pathway for progression from junior programs to premier F1 seats. This pipeline is designed to ensure a steady influx of promising talent prepared to meet evolving challenges in Formula 1, reinforcing the team’s competitive outlook amid regulatory transitions.
Looking ahead, the integration of Hadjar into the senior team and Lindblad’s rookie transition to F1 set a definitive tone for Red Bull’s strategy heading into the 2026 season, reflecting both resilience and forward planning in maintaining their position at the sport’s forefront.