Red Bull replaces Tsunoda with Hadjar for 2026

Yuki Tsunoda will not continue with Red Bull Racing for 2026. He has accumulated only 30 points in the 2025 season and sits in 15th place in the championship. Red Bull promoted him to the main team at the Japanese Grand Prix to replace Sergio Pérez, who was dropped due to poor performance, but Tsunoda also failed to meet expectations. Isack Hadjar will take the seat next to Max Verstappen. He completed just one season with Racing Bulls, the team also owned by Red Bull, where he achieved a podium at Zandvoort and finished in the top 10 of the championship. Hadjar outperformed Liam Lawson in qualifying after arriving as the runner-up in F2 2024. Racing Bulls will field Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad. Lindblad received an exemption from the FIA to obtain his Super Licence before turning 18 years old. It took him four years from leaving karting in 2021 to reach Formula 1.

Verstappen to Have His Seventh Teammate at Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Racing has a history of frequent changes in the seat next to Verstappen. Daniel Ricciardo was his teammate from when Verstappen joined the team in 2016 until 2018. Ricciardo left for Renault and Red Bull promoted Pierre Gasly, who lasted half a year before being demoted back to Toro Rosso due to insufficient performance.

Alexander Albon moved up from Toro Rosso mid-2019 and raced until the end of 2020, when he was also demoted for not meeting expectations. Sergio Pérez arrived in 2021 and stayed for four seasons, the longest relationship Verstappen has had with a teammate at Red Bull Racing, but he left after 2024 due to poor performance.

For 2025, Red Bull promoted Liam Lawson from Racing Bulls at the start of the season, but sent him back to the junior team after a few races. Tsunoda was promoted in his place from Racing Bulls at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, his home race. Tsunoda's promotion lasted less than a full season. He will remain as a test and reserve driver for 2026.

Hadjar will be the seventh different teammate for Verstappen at Red Bull Racing.

Honda Ends Relationship with Red Bull and Tsunoda Loses Backing

Honda has supplied engines to Red Bull since 2019, but that alliance ends at the close of 2025. Honda supported Tsunoda from his early years in single-seaters, and that commercial link helped keep him within the Red Bull system for five seasons. Without Honda as a supplier, the main argument for retaining Tsunoda disappeared.

Honda publicly stated it would prefer to see Tsunoda with a race seat in 2026, even outside of Red Bull, but failed to negotiate that possibility. Honda will seek another technical partner in Formula 1 from 2026.

Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team Principal, commented: "Yuki has raced in Red Bull colors for seven years and I have had the pleasure of working with him at both Red Bull teams. Through his five seasons in Formula 1, he has matured into a complete driver. We appreciate what he has contributed and know he will provide invaluable support to the 2026 projects as a reserve driver."

Tsunoda has over one hundred Formula 1 race starts, all with teams linked to Red Bull. He spent four seasons at Racing Bulls before his promotion to the main team. Red Bull brought him into the Honda junior program in 2019.

Hadjar Showed Superior Performance to Lawson at Racing Bulls

Red Bull evaluated Hadjar's performance during his first Formula 1 season. The Frenchman arrived with solid credentials as the 2024 F2 runner-up and quickly demonstrated speed: besides the podium in the Netherlands, he achieved two sixth-place finishes and maintained a qualifying advantage over Lawson throughout the season.

"I am very grateful to Red Bull Racing for the opportunity. After all the work since joining the Junior Team, it is a great reward. This year with Racing Bulls has been incredible, I learned a lot and got my first podium. I feel ready for Red Bull Racing."

Mekies explained the decision: "In his first F1 season, Isack showed great maturity and demonstrated pure speed, which is the number one requirement in this sport. 2026 will be an enormous challenge for the team and for Red Bull Ford Powertrains."

The 2026 season will bring the biggest change in Formula 1 technical regulations in decades. Red Bull will face this challenge with its own power unit developed with Ford, its first self-developed engine after years of relying on external suppliers like Renault and Honda.

Lindblad Obtained Super Licence with FIA Exemption

Arvid Lindblad started karting in 2015 and won titles in the WSK Super Master Series in the OKJ category, as well as victories in the WSK Euro Series and the WSK Final Cup. In 2022, he made the jump to single-seaters in the Italian F4 Championship.

During 2023, he competed in three F4 championships simultaneously: F4 UAE, F4 Italy with PREMA Racing, and Euro 4. He finished third in Italy, fourth in Euro 4, and fifth in F4 UAE. That same year, he won the F4 World Cup in Macau, considered the most prestigious race in that category.

In 2024, he moved up to F3 with PREMA Racing and finished the championship in fourth place with four wins. For 2025, he ascended to F2 with Campos Racing, where he occupies sixth position in the championship. Red Bull brought him into its junior program in 2021.

The FIA granted him a special exemption to obtain the Super Licence before turning 18. This dispensation is granted only when results in lower categories demonstrate exceptional level. Lindblad also won the Formula Regional Oceania championship in 2025.

"Since I started this path at five years old, it was always my goal to be in Formula 1. I am extremely grateful to the Red Bull Junior Programme for their guidance. 2026 will be a big challenge and I know there is a lot to learn," said Lindblad.

Alan Permane, Racing Bulls Team Principal, commented: "Congratulations to Isack. He has had an outstanding season, demonstrating race craft and consistency beyond his experience. He has earned his promotion to Red Bull Racing. Arvid's rapid progression marks him out as one of the standout talents in the sport."

Lindblad becomes the twentieth driver from the Red Bull Junior Programme to reach Formula 1. He participated in two Free Practice sessions with Red Bull Racing during 2025, including the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Lawson will have his first full season with the same team. He had a fragmented 2025 that included a brief stint at Red Bull Racing at the start of the season before returning to Racing Bulls when Red Bull decided to promote Tsunoda.