Formula 1 will end 2025 with a cycle closure for several drivers and a major reshuffle within the Red Bull universe. This Tuesday, the Austrian team confirmed that Isack Hadjar will be Max Verstappen's new teammate starting in 2026, displacing Yuki Tsunoda and thus filling the last remaining vacancy on next season's grid.
Hadjar, who joined Racing Bulls as a rookie this year, made a meteoric rise within the Junior program. At 21 years old, he achieved his first podium at the Dutch Grand Prix and convinced the main team's leadership.
"I'm very grateful to Red Bull Racing for giving me the opportunity and the trust to compete at the highest level of Formula 1. After all the effort I've put in since joining the junior team, it's a great reward," said the Frenchman.
"I feel ready to go to Red Bull Racing and I'm happy and proud that they feel the same way. It's an unbelievable decision; working with the best and learning from Max is something I'm really looking forward to," he added.
The decision immediately impacted Racing Bulls, which will have to rebuild its duo. The team will promote British driver Arvid Lindblad, another of the Academy's promising talents, to join New Zealander Liam Lawson. At 19 years old, Lindblad will have his first full experience in the category.
For Tsunoda, however, a chapter has come to an end. The Japanese driver will leave the grid after five consecutive seasons and will become a test driver at Red Bull. His farewell as a main driver will be this Sunday in Abu Dhabi, where he will run his last race before the change.
Laurent Mekies, CEO of the organization, bid farewell to the Japanese driver with praise: "Yuki has spent seven years racing in Red Bull colors and I've had the pleasure of working with him in both teams. Over his five seasons in Formula 1, Yuki has become a complete driver, strong on single laps on Saturdays and capable of exceptional starts and excellent racecraft on Sundays."
He added: "On behalf of everyone at Red Bull, I thank him for his contribution so far and we know he'll provide invaluable support to the 2026 projects looking ahead."
