Red Bull Racing has introduced Isack Hadjar will change Yuki Tsunoda subsequent 12 months, giving Max Verstappen his fourth teammate in two seasons.
In a broadly anticipated transfer that completes the 2026 grid, Tsunoda has been demoted to a check and reserve function with Pink Bull Racing, whereas Hadjar is to be promoted from sister crew Racing Bulls.
Method 2 race winner Arvid Lindblad will be a part of Racing Bulls after impressing Pink Bull administration together with his non-public testing program and two FP1 stand-in appearances this 12 months in Silverstone and Mexico Metropolis.
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Isack Hadjar applauded Max Verstappen because the latter entered the rostrum after the working of the Dutch Grand Prix. Kym Illman by way of Getty Photos
“[Lindblad] has demonstrated uncooked pace, maturity and potential, underscoring the crew’s long-standing dedication to creating elite younger expertise,” Racing Bulls mentioned in a press release.
Hadjar will turn into Verstappen’s fourth teammate in lower than two seasons, following the speedy turnover that included Sergio Pérez, Liam Lawson, and Yuki Tsunoda. This can take the four-time reigning champion’s tally to seven since his promotion in Might 2016.
The announcement comes after an encouraging maiden Formula 1 marketing campaign for Hadjar, highlighted by a third-place end in Zandvoort.
The 21-year-old has been the standout rookie this season, together with his single-lap pace proving significantly spectacular.
Regardless of piloting what’s, on common, the sixth-quickest automotive, Hadjar has been the competitors’s eighth-best qualifier. His common grid place of ninth comfortably makes him one of the best among the many midfield drivers, sitting simply behind Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who holds a mean grid place of eighth.
Incomes 51 factors this season, the French teenager sits inside the highest 10 within the drivers’ championship, two factors away from 250-race veteran Nico Hulkenberg.
Third-placed Isack Hadjar celebrates together with his trophy on the rostrum on the Dutch Grand Prix. Getty
“I am so grateful to Pink Bull for giving me the chance and belief to race on the highest degree of Method 1,” Hadjar mentioned in a Pink Bull assertion.
“After all of the onerous work I’ve put in since becoming a member of the junior crew, it is such an ideal reward.
“I’ve had many ups and downs all through my profession, and so they stored believing and pushing me.
“I really feel able to go to Pink Bull, and I’m joyful and proud [that] they really feel the identical.
“It is an superior transfer to work with one of the best, and be taught from Max is one thing I can not await.”
Following 4 full seasons with the junior crew, Tsunoda replaced Lawson at Red Bull starting with the third spherical this season.
Though Tsunoda was in competition to accomplice Lindblad on the crew, he misplaced out to Lawson, who retains his seat.
In a press release, Pink Bull crew principal Laurent Mekies — who beforehand labored as crew boss of Racing Bulls — defined the strategic necessity of retaining Tsunoda’s expertise and his robust connection to key technical companions for the essential 2026 regulatory shift.
Yuki Tsunoda is not going to maintain a race seat in Method 1 in 2026. Getty Photos for Oracle Pink Bull
“Via his 5 seasons up to now in Method 1, Yuki has matured into a whole racer, good over a single lap on Saturday and able to distinctive begins and glorious race craft on Sunday,” he mentioned.
“Everybody within the sport would agree it’s unimaginable to not like Yuki, his persona is infectious, and he has turn into a really particular a part of the Pink Bull household.
“On behalf of everybody at Pink Bull, I thank him for what he has contributed up to now, and we all know he’ll present invaluable assist to the 2026 initiatives shifting ahead.”
It has been reported that Tsunoda has retained a spot within the Pink Bull program due to his continued robust backing by Japanese producer Honda.
Though Pink Bull Racing and Racing Bulls are set to modify to their in-house, Ford-supported energy unit subsequent 12 months, a technical take care of Honda will nonetheless be required for the crew’s testing program, which utilises automobiles from earlier seasons.
Honda has been the facility unit provider for Racing Bulls since 2018 and Pink Bull Racing since 2019.
Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson speak throughout the drivers’ parade forward of the Japanses Grand Prix. Getty
Regardless of his robust kind at Racing Bulls, Tsunoda was elevated to Pink Bull after initially being neglected in favour of Lawson forward of the season.
Lawson endured two disappointing rounds to open the season, qualifying virtually a second behind Verstappen on common and recording just one Twelfth-place end.
In his place, Tsunoda has fared solely barely higher.
Within the dry, he has certified on common 0.513 seconds behind Verstappen, which equates to a mean grid place of 9 locations behind his teammate. He has scored simply 30 factors in 21 rounds, sustaining a mean ending place of Twelfth.
Lawson has seemed promising since his two-race axing from Pink Bull, rediscovering his kind mid-year to turn into an everyday Q3 contender and level scorer.
After scoring simply as soon as within the first 10 rounds, the Kiwi has amassed 38 factors to take a seat 14th within the drivers’ standings — 5 factors forward of Tsunoda however 13 factors behind Hadjar.
No driver beforehand dropped by Pink Bull has ever returned to the senior crew.
