Red Bull Racing has finally announced the driver line-up for 2026 in Formula 1, and there's little surprise: Isack Hadjar will be promoted from Racing Bulls and will become Max Verstappen's teammate for the next year. The 21-year-old Frenchman improved since crashing in the formation lap of his first race with Racing Bulls this year, and is now tenth in the championship with one podium and 51 points.
The only news that was still unknown is Yuki Tsunoda's fate: he will not be ditched completely, and will remain "within the Red Bull family as he moves into the role of Red Bull Test and Reserve Driver for 2026", the statement announced.
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It has not been a good year for Tsunoda, who started the season in Racing Bulls but was later replaced by Liam Lawson as Red Bull's second driver alongside Max. However, Tsunoda did not improve on Lawson, and struggled in a car that many critics think it's best suited for Max... and nobody else.
As a result, Lawson will retain his seat at Racing Bull, but Tsunoda will have to find a new team next year if he wants to compete again in 2027, or make his way up again in Red Bull, which seems unlikely given the vast number of drivers coming out from Red Bull's academy.
"Through his five seasons so far in Formula One, Yuki has matured into a complete racer, good over a single lap on Saturday and capable of exceptional starts and excellent race craft on Sunday. Everyone in the sport would agree it is impossible not to like Yuki, his personality is infectious, and he has become a very special part of the Red Bull family", said Red Bull CEO Laurent Mekies.
Racing Bulls, Red Bull's secondary team, also announces their drivers
At the same time, Racing Bulls also confirmed that Liam Lawson will remain, while 18-year-old British and Swedish rookie Arvid Lindblad, currently sixth in Formula 2, will take the vacant seat from Hadjar in Formula 1 2026.