Overview
- Red Bull confirmed its 2026 roster, with Isack Hadjar stepping up to partner Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad racing for Racing Bulls, and Yuki Tsunoda moving into a test and reserve role.
- Mekies praised Hadjar’s standout rookie season and emphasized a multi-year progression plan without fixed result targets for his first year at Red Bull.
- Hadjar said the timing “makes sense” with the 2026 rules reset, citing a shared mindset with Verstappen while rejecting claims the decision was based on similar driving styles.
- The 21-year-old accepted he will likely be slower initially and plans to focus on rapid adaptation, managing expectations, and contributing to development of the all-new car.
- Mekies described the second Red Bull seat as difficult due to a tough-to-drive car and voiced confidence that Tsunoda could return to a race seat given the team’s swift decision history.