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The Austrian squad has confirmed significant changes for the 2026 F1 campaign, elevating French driver Isack Hadjar to its senior team and giving British teenager Arvid Lindblad his debut F1 drive.

The young driver, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the junior outfit VCARB.

This driver musical chairs means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat after five seasons.

Who is Arvid Lindblad?

The youngster was marked out as a potential future star by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.

Discussing the team's young driver programme, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "looks really promising", highlighting his "pure speed".

The team prepared a programme for some time to ready Lindblad for his likely Grand Prix bow in 2026, featuring runs in Grand Prix practice at the British and Mexican races.

The rookie said it was a "huge honour", commenting: "2026 will be a massive test, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm prepared to collaborate with the team and rise to it. I can't wait to get started."

Lindblad has taken two races in F2 this year and is P6 in the standings ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi.

A Major Opportunity for Hadjar

The Frenchman's debut season started in difficult fashion when he spun out during the warm-up lap of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has been one of the most impressive newcomers of the year.

He included an remarkable top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he lies 10th in the drivers' standings.

A senior team figure commented: "Isack has shown impressive growth and proved to be a fast adapter. Most importantly, he has the raw speed that is the primary necessity in this sport. We believe he can excel next to Max."

Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "up for the challenge".

The Lawson Decision

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

The New Zealander began the season with the senior squad but was demoted early in the year. He has settled back in at the junior outfit with notable results, persuading Red Bull he deserves more time.

The Japanese driver, in contrast, has been ejected after a difficult season. His highest finish is a P6, and he has accumulated a minor percentage of the team's points total.

These announcements confirm that there remains no place on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 for 2026.