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The Red Bull team has confirmed a major reshuffle for the 2026 Grand Prix year, moving up Frenchman Isack Hadjar to its A-team and awarding 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad his first F1 drive.

The young driver, who comes from a mixed Swedish-Indian background, will be team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at the second team Racing Bulls.

This driver musical chairs means Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda losing his seat following a five-year stint.

Who is Arvid Lindblad?

The youngster was identified as a prodigy by Red Bull from the age of 12 years old.

Talking about the team's junior academy, a senior Red Bull figure previously said that Lindblad "appears very talented", commending his "pure speed".

Red Bull prepared a programme since last year to ready Lindblad for his potential Grand Prix bow in 2026, including runs in Grand Prix practice at Silverstone and Mexico City.

Lindblad stated it was a "dream come true", commenting: "2026 will be a massive test, and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm ready to collaborate with the team and meet the challenge. I am incredibly excited to get started."

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

The Frenchman's Chance

Hadjar's F1 career started on a low note when he crashed during the warm-up lap of the first Australian Grand Prix. However, from that point, he has emerged as one of the stand-out rookies this season.

He featured an remarkable top-three result at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he sits 10th in the championship.

A senior team figure said: "Isack has displayed impressive growth and proved to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has the innate pace that is the number one requirement in this sport. We believe he can succeed alongside Max."

The promoted driver called it "an incredible opportunity" and said he felt "prepared".

The Lawson Decision

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

Lawson began the season with the senior squad but was demoted after just two races. However, he has settled back in at Racing Bulls with notable results, convincing Red Bull he deserves another season.

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

The driver market moves mean that there remains no spot on the Red Bull academy for Irish driver Alex Dunne, who will remain in F2 for 2026.