Source:REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
[Saba Sports News] According to Auto Motor und Sport, Isack Hadjar is almost certain to be promoted to Red Bull Racing next year to partner Max Verstappen. Simultaneously, Red Bull junior driver and current F2 racer Arvid Lindblad is strongly tipped for a promotion to VCARB (AlphaTauri). This means one of the other four Red Bull-contracted drivers will lose their seat. Formula 1 is a brutal sport where young drivers can quickly be sidelined if their performance trajectory doesn’t consistently trend upwards. The Red Bull driver program is notoriously impatient. Team advisor Helmut Marko has long searched for a suitable teammate for Verstappen, with limited success in recent years. Now, Hadjar has emerged as a prime candidate. The French driver has been performing consistently well at VCARB, recently securing his first podium at Zandvoort. It’s considered an open secret that the 20-year-old will move up to Red Bull Racing as Verstappen’s new teammate next season. Furthermore, one of VCARB’s two seats for 2026 is also largely decided. The Red Bull management wants to give Lindblad a chance to prove himself in F1. The 18-year-old British driver with Swedish heritage is currently seventh in the overall standings during his rookie F2 season.