Red Bull have confirmed that Isack Hadjar will partner Max Verstappen next season, with Yuki Tsunoda losing his Formula One seat.
French driver Hadjar is set to take a seat at Red Bull and F1’s poisonous holy grail after an impressive rookie season with sister team Racing Bulls.
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Liam Lawson, meanwhile, will partner at RB with 18-year-old British driver Arvid Lindblad, who has been promoted after impressing in Formula 2 this year.
Max Verstappen (center right) will partner Isaac Hajjar (center left) next year while Yuki Tsunoda (right) will lose his seat (Getty)
This means that Japanese driver Tsunoda lost his F1 seat after five years. The statement did confirm that the 25-year-old will remain “within the Red Bull family as a Red Bull test and reserve driver in 2026”.
Laurent Mekies, CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing, said: “Yuki has been racing in Red Bull Racing for seven years and I’m delighted to have worked with him across two Red Bull Racing teams. In five seasons in F1 so far, Yuki has matured into a complete driver, with strong lap performances on Saturdays and great starts and great race skills on Sundays.
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“Everyone in the sport will agree that it’s impossible not to like Yuki, his personality is infectious and he has become a very special part of the Red Bull family. On behalf of everyone at Red Bull, I would like to thank him for his contribution to date and we know he will provide valuable support as the project progresses into 2026.
“As for Isak, in his first F1 season he has shown great maturity and proven to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has shown raw speed, which is the first requirement of this sport. We are confident that Isak can grow with Max and work wonders on the track!”
The 21-year-old Hajar performed well in his rookie season this season. He is currently tenth in the world championship after scoring 10 points, having reached his first podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix in August.
Isack Hadjar will partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull next season (Getty)
Hajjar said after learning he had been promoted to sit alongside Verstappen: “I’m very grateful to Red Bull Racing for giving me the opportunity and trust to compete at the highest level in F1. It’s a huge reward for all the hard work I’ve put in since joining the junior team.
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“I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs in my career and they’ve always believed in me and pushed me. This year at Bulls has been absolutely amazing, I’ve learned a lot and got on the podium for the first time. I feel like I’m getting better as a racer and a person because of the support and preparation of the team.
“I’m ready to join Red Bull Racing and I’m delighted and proud that they feel the same way. It’s a great move and working with the best and learning from Max is something I can’t wait to do.”
The Frenchman will be hoping to achieve a better result than New Zealander Lawson, who was dropped from Red Bull after two races earlier this year but recovered well with the sister team in the following months.
Lindblad, meanwhile, has been part of Red Bull’s youth program since 2021 and has shown promise during his junior career.
British 18-year-old Lindblad now has a place in F1 (Getty)
He won the prestigious Macau Grand Prix in 2023 and finished fourth in Formula 3 in 2024. This year, he became the youngest F2 champion in April’s sprint race in Saudi Arabia, a feat he accomplished at 17 years and 243 days.
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Lindblad, who grew up in Surrey, also won the F2 feature race at the Spanish Grand Prix in June. He was sixth in the drivers’ championship ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
The Briton completed his first F1 test at Imola in February and raced in his first F1 race, replacing Max Verstappen in the first practice of the Mexican Grand Prix in October, where he attracted attention with the sixth-fastest lap time in the race.
