Red Bull Announces Driver Lineup for 2026: Isack Hadjar to Replace Yuki Tsunoda
Formula 1 rookie Isack Hadjar will replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull in 2026, while Liam Lawson will continue at junior team Racing Bulls alongside exciting teenage prospect Arvid Lindblad. This move demonstrates Red Bull’s confidence in Hadjar’s abilities, which were showcased during his impressive first season at Racing Bulls, including a podium at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Hadjar’s promotion to Red Bull is a testament to his raw speed and maturity, as stated by Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies. “In his first F1 season, he has displayed great maturity and proved to be a quick learner,” Mekies said. “Most importantly, he has demonstrated the raw speed that is the No. 1 requirement in this sport. We believe Isack can thrive alongside Max and produce the magic on track.” With this move, Red Bull is putting its faith in Hadjar and Lindblad as the sport enters a new rules cycle, with significant regulation changes on the aerodynamic and engine sides of the car.
Yuki Tsunoda’s New Role and Red Bull’s Engine Plans
Tsunoda will take on the role of Red Bull test and reserve driver, allowing him to remain within the company’s orbit while no longer having a racing role. This decision comes after Tsunoda’s stint as Max Verstappen’s teammate, where he struggled to match his teammate’s performance, scoring 33 points in 15th place ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Red Bull will also be building its own engines from next year onwards, following the end of its title-winning partnership with Honda, a longtime backer of Tsunoda.
Red Bull’s decision to replace Tsunoda with Hadjar is not entirely surprising, given the team’s history of quick promotions and demotions. As noted by ESPN, Red Bull has a “trigger-happy habit of quick promotions,” which will be under scrutiny again should Hadjar follow in the footsteps of his predecessors alongside Verstappen. Despite this, Red Bull is confident in Hadjar’s abilities and believes he can thrive alongside Verstappen.
Liam Lawson’s Lifeline and Arvid Lindblad’s Promotion
Lawson, who was demoted earlier in the season, has been handed a lifeline with another season at the junior team. He will partner with British Swedish driver Lindblad, who only turned 18 in August and had a mixed rookie Formula 2 season. Sources have told ESPN that Lindblad’s promotion has been set in stone for months, while Hadjar’s promotion to the senior team has been all but certain for a while now.
Red Bull’s decision to keep Lawson at the junior team is a testament to his abilities and the team’s faith in his potential. Despite racing in Formula 1 across three seasons, Lawson has never completed a full season in normal circumstances. However, his form since his demotion, especially in the second half of the year, has massively helped his chances of staying with the team. As ESPN notes, there is a strong feeling internally that Lawson has not been given all the conditions required to thrive by the company’s decisions around his career.
Red Bull made the announcement ahead of the final race of the year to avoid a messy PR situation, similar to the one that followed Daniel Ricciardo’s exit last year. As ESPN notes, Ricciardo had a tearful exit in Singapore, where Red Bull and Racing Bulls had essentially left his future up in the air publicly despite having already made a decision that he was out and Lawson was in after that weekend’s race.
