The Red Bull structure confirmed a significant change to its lineup for 2026: French rookie Isack Hadjar will take the seat vacated by Yuki Tsunoda and will be Max Verstappen's new teammate. The decision marks a significant shift within the company's motorsport project, which also reorganized its drivers within the Racing Bulls junior team. Hadjar joins the main team after a debut season that surprised the paddock. His podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix was enough to convince management, who saw him as a solid option for the new technical era that will begin next year. Internal reshuffles, new regulations, and a future under evaluation. Tsunoda, on the other hand, will become a test and reserve driver. Although he will remain within the brand's program, he will no longer participate on the grid, but will be available to cover emergencies for either team. This relocation also opens up space for another promising young driver: Arvid Lindblad, who will move up to Racing Bulls to partner Liam Lawson. The move reflects a complex context. From 2026, Red Bull will manufacture its own engines following the end of its partnership with Honda, a link that historically supported Tsunoda's presence in Formula 1. That support, which even helped him replace Lawson at the start of the season, wasn't enough to guarantee him a seat. The Japanese driver's situation adds to a pattern that has been repeated with several drivers within the Red Bull environment. Figures like Sergio Perez, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly went through similar processes. In Tsunoda's case, his performance never reached the standard required to share a garage with Verstappen. He currently has 33 points and is fifteenth in the championship before the final race in Abu Dhabi. Hadjar, for his part, won't have the pressure to replicate the immediate performance that Red Bull expected from some of his predecessors, although his rise will be closely watched. The organization is known for its rapid promotions, but also for abrupt decisions when performance falls short.

Meanwhile, Lawson received another opportunity with the junior team despite an inconsistent track record. Despite gaining experience over three seasons within the Red Bull environment, he never managed to complete a normal year: injury replacements, emergency substitutions, or premature demotions marked his career. His strong finish to 2025 influenced his decision to remain with the team.

Lindblad, who turned 18 in August and is currently sixth in Formula 2, had been considered a guaranteed promotion for months. With these moves already planned internally, the new team principal, Laurent Mekies, faced the challenge of deciding which driver would stay with Racing Bulls. His track record working with Hadjar, Tsunoda, and Lawson further complicated the final choice. The decision to announce everything before the end of the championship also aimed to avoid a repeat of the Daniel Ricciardo episode in Singapore last year, when his departure was handled publicly and confusingly even though the decision had already been made.