Red Bull Racing announced Tuesday the promotion of 21-year-old Franco-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar to partner three-time world champion Max Verstappen for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
This move signals a significant investment in Red Bull’s junior talent program. Hadjar will step up from the Racing Bulls junior team.
The promotion replaces Yuki Tsunoda, who will transition to a reserve driver role for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls.
Hadjar impressed during his debut season with Racing Bulls. He secured a third-place podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.
The team’s official announcement included details of the 2026 Racing Bulls lineup. Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad will form the duo for the secondary team.
Our Driver Line-up for 2026 ??@Max33Verstappen ?? @Isack_Hadjar
Read more here ?? https://t.co/mvEMyB7JC0 pic.twitter.com/1LLcYUel81— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) December 2, 2025
Hadjar is currently 10th in the overall standings. This position is held heading into the final Grand Prix of the current season.
The announcement marks the first major driver lineup change confirmed for the upcoming 2026 Formula 1 season.