Red Bull Racing has confirmed its driver pairing for 2026 after team bosses settled their final decision.
Isack Hadjar will be promoted from Racing Bulls to the senior outfit next season, taking the place of Yuki Tsunoda after an impressive first year in Formula One.
Tsunoda will drop off the grid as he has not been offered a return to Racing Bulls. He switched to Red Bull earlier this year to replace Liam Lawson but struggled to deliver consistent points. His form left the team relying heavily on Max Verstappen in the title fight as the Dutchman aims for a fifth championship.
Yuki Tsunoda will remain with Red Bull in 2026 as Test and Reserve Driver.
Laurent Mekies, CEO and Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said: «Yuki has raced in Red Bull colours for seven years and grown into a complete driver, strong in qualifying and racecraft. His personality makes him a special part of the Red Bull family, and we know he will provide invaluable support for 2026.
“Isack Hadjar has shown great maturity and raw speed in his first F1 season. We believe he can thrive alongside Max and deliver magic on track. 2026 will be a big challenge for the Team and Red Bull Ford Powertrains, and I look forward to seeing what we achieve together.»
Hadjar will become Verstappen’s fourth team-mate in three years. The French driver arrived in F1 after finishing runner-up in the 2024 Formula Two standings.
Despite a shaky debut in Australia where he crashed on the formation lap, Hadjar went on to build a standout campaign which included a surprise podium at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Hadjar added: «I’m grateful to Oracle Red Bull Racing for trusting me to race at the highest level. This year with Racing Bulls has been amazing, and I feel ready to step up, work with the best and learn from Max.»
Alongside this move, Racing Bulls has confirmed that Arvid Lindblad will join the squad to partner Lawson in 2026.
Lindblad contested the FIA Formula Two Championship in 2025 with Campos Racing. His rapid rise continued as he became the youngest race winner in F2 history after triumphing in the Jeddah Sprint Race. He ended the year seventh in the standings with two wins and four podiums.
The British driver also gained valuable experience when he received a special dispensation Super Licence and made his Formula One practice debut with Red Bull at the British Grand Prix. He will take part in first practice for Red Bull again at the upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hadjar’s promotion comes as Formula One prepares for major rule changes in 2026 with new power unit regulations and chassis updates set to reshape the competitive order.
