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The Austrian squad has revealed a new line-up for the 2026 F1 campaign, elevating Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its main squad and giving 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his first Formula 1 seat.

Lindblad, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, will be team-mate to Kiwi driver Liam Lawson at the junior outfit VCARB.

This driver musical chairs sees Japan's Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat post a half-decade in F1.

Who is Arvid Lindblad?

The youngster was marked out as a potential future star by Red Bull since he was 12 years old.

Talking about the team's young driver programme, a key advisor previously said that Lindblad "seems extremely gifted", highlighting his "pure speed".

The team prepared a programme for some time to ready Lindblad for his likely F1 debut in 2026, including runs in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City.

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

Lindblad has taken a couple of victories in F2 so far this season and is sixth in the standings heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Hadjar's Big Break

The Frenchman's debut season began on a low note when he crashed on the formation lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. But, since then, he has emerged as one of the most impressive rookies of the year.

His performances included an excellent podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits in tenth place in the drivers' standings.

The team principal commented: "Hadjar has displayed great maturity and proved 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 alongside Max."

Hadjar described it "an awesome move" and said he felt "prepared".

Lawson Retains His Seat

For the seat at the junior team, Red Bull have preferred 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 Racing Bulls with some strong performances, convincing Red Bull he merits more time.

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

The driver market moves mean that there is also no place on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will continue in F2 for 2026.