Red Bull has reportedly made its final call on the 2026 driver lineup, and the news is brutal for Yuki Tsunoda. According to Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz, rookie Isack Hadjar will be promoted from Racing Bulls to partner Max Verstappen at the senior team next year. Both drivers have already been informed of the decision.
Kravitz revealed the news ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, saying Hadjar could barely hide his excitement while Tsunoda was visibly crushed. The Japanese driver has struggled to match Verstappen’s pace in 2025 and has only scored 28 points all season, making him the obvious candidate to be replaced under Red Bull’s ruthless performance policy.
The axe doesn’t stop there. Even though Hadjar’s promotion leaves a vacancy at Racing Bulls, Tsunoda is not expected to drop back down to the junior team. Instead, Red Bull is set to hand the seat to 18-year-old British-Swedish prodigy Arvid Lindblad, who earned his Super Licence earlier this year and impressed in FP1 outings at Silverstone and Mexico.
Lindblad’s rapid rise means Tsunoda faces the very real prospect of being without a seat for 2026. With every other team already locked in for next season, the 25-year-old could be forced to sit out entirely unless a late opportunity appears elsewhere on the grid.
Red Bull’s second seat has been a revolving door since Verstappen established dominance, with Ricciardo, Gasly, Albon, Pérez, Lawson and now Tsunoda all failing to last long alongside the Dutchman. Hadjar will become the latest driver thrown into the pressure cooker next year as the team prepares for the massive regulation changes coming in 2026.
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