Red Bull has promoted Isack Hadjar to race alongside Max Verstappen in 2026, and the team has also confirmed the role that Yuki Tsunoda will take within the organisation.
The only major shake-up on the 2026 grid is now official: Red Bull promotes Isack Hadjar, and Yuki Tsunoda’s future has also been defined. As has been clear for weeks, the French driver will partner Max Verstappen from next season, taking the seat of the departing Japanese driver. Over at Racing Bulls, Arvid Lindblad steps in while Liam Lawson earns confirmation for another year.
A significant change had been looming for a long time, and today it becomes official. Milton Keynes reshapes everything and, from 2026, will rely on two new faces across Red Bull and Racing Bulls. The hunt for the “new Verstappen” continues, with the hope of finding a driver capable of consistently fighting for podiums. This time, the choice falls on Isack Hadjar.
The French driver has already shown, in his debut season, that he is a talent of real substance. The podium at Zandvoort is only one piece – certainly the most prestigious – of a bigger puzzle that has convinced Laurent Mekies and Helmut Marko. From the mistake in Melbourne to the Qatar promotion, the first year of the 21-year-old from Paris stands as a tribute to resilience and determination.
Tsunoda, it will not be a farewell: still with Red Bull in 2026
As for Yuki Tsunoda, this is not a farewell to Formula 1, nor to Red Bull. The Japanese driver – who some paddock rumours had even suggested could slip away from Honda’s plans – will remain within the Austrian team’s structure. In 2026, he will take on the role of reserve driver, likely contributing to car development through simulator work and TPC test sessions.
It is also possible that he could be called back into action with Racing Bulls if the rookie Arvid Lindblad – one of Helmut Marko’s protégés – struggles alongside Liam Lawson.
One chapter closes, another begins: Verstappen gets a fresh teammate, Hadjar gets his chance, Lindblad gets his debut, and Tsunoda waits in the wings – classic Red Bull ruthlessness with a familiar twist of opportunity.
Leave a Reply