Red Bull Racing has reportedly finalised its Formula 1 driver line-up for the 2026 season, with an official announcement scheduled for Tuesday. While team principal Laurent Mekies declined to reveal details ahead of time, multiple paddock insiders — including reports from De Telegraaf — indicate that Isack Hadjar is set to replace Yuki Tsunoda as Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull.
Mekies confirmed that the team will “stick to its plan” and share the full line-up on Tuesday, adding that the decision will not affect its focus during the Abu Dhabi finale. The update comes at a crucial moment, as Verstappen enters the last race of the season just 12 points behind the championship leader.
Why is Tsunoda being replaced?
Yuki Tsunoda, who took over the second Red Bull seat from Liam Lawson after round three, has struggled to deliver consistent results despite occasional flashes of strong pace. He currently sits 15th in the standings with 33 points — 366 points fewer than Verstappen — and has been unable to string together competitive weekends on a regular basis.
Although Tsunoda recently received an almost identical car specification to Verstappen and even outqualified him during the Qatar sprint weekend, he was eliminated in Q1 for the main race. The Japanese driver insisted he has “proved a lot of things”, but acknowledged that the immediate priority is to help Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi title decider.
What happens to Lawson and Lindblad?
In addition to Hadjar’s expected promotion, fresh reports suggest a major reshuffle at Red Bull’s sister team, VCARB. According to De Telegraaf:
- Liam Lawson is set to move to VCARB
- Arvid Lindblad will partner him
- Yuki Tsunoda is likely to be left without a race seat for 2026
This aligns with Red Bull’s long-term driver development structure, where Hadjar has been strongly positioned as a future senior-team contender throughout the 2025 season.
Official confirmation coming Tuesday
While Red Bull has not issued a formal announcement yet, the consistent reporting from multiple F1 insiders strongly points toward Isack Hadjar joining Red Bull Racing in 2026 alongside Max Verstappen.
The final confirmation is expected on Tuesday, which will settle one of the most anticipated driver market questions ahead of the new 2026 regulations.
