Red Bull star announces 2026 move as team complete driver lineup

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Red Bull

Red Bull star announces 2026 move as team complete driver lineup

Red Bull's junior stars are progressing along the path to F1

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 12 October 2025 10:51

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A young Red Bull star has announced his seat for next season, with a promotion in his motorsport career confirmed for 2026.

The energy drink giants have a highly successful F1 team that has claimed eight drivers' titles and six constructors' championships since their maiden season in the sport in 2005, but also boasts a promising lineup of junior stars.

Isack Hadjar earned his first podium in his rookie season, joining reigning champion Max Verstappen in the top three at the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix.

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Neither team have solidified their driver lineup for next season, with Hadjar expected to make the jump to Red Bull, meaning Racing Bulls could be on the hunt for a new star to sign.

Luckily, the brand have a dedicated driver development programme which motorsport advisor Helmut Marko is always on the lookout to snap up stars of the future for, with the junior team's purpose to develop their potential.

One rising star, who has credited Marko as a fundamental factor in his decision to join the highly-praised driver pool, is Irish phenom Fionn Mclaughlin, who has now been handed a promotion for 2026.

Hitech complete 2026 F3 lineup with Red Bull signing

The 17-year-old only made the switch to single seaters last year after a rapid rise through the ranks in karting, catching Marko's attention at a competitive evaluation in Jerez, Spain last year.

In August 2024, he became a Red Bull junior and since signing with the squad, he has claimed the British F4 Championship after picking up five victories across the season.

The teenager will now graduate up to F3 next season with Hitech TGR, who have announced McLaughlin as their third and final driver for the 2026 campaign, where he will race alongside Jin Nakamura and Michael Shin.

McLaughlin took to Instagram to proudly deliver the news, saying: "Hey everyone, Fionn McLaughlin here. Have some great news to share with everyone that I'll be competing in FIA Formula 3 next year. Very grateful for this opportunity and proud of my family for how far we've come and I'm just going to keep working hard and doing a good job.

"Make sure everyone tunes in and follows me through it, FIA F3, I'll try my best for you and try to bring away a few wins and maybe a good rookie season."

The Irish racer also thanked the Red Bull Junior Team for their trust and belief in his potential in his official statement.

Hitech Team Manager Paul Bellringer added: “At Hitech, we’ve closely followed Fionn’s progress in the entry categories of the Formula Winter Series and the British F4 Championship, and we’ve been consistently impressed by his speed, maturity, and racecraft.

“His rapid development and ability to adapt to different challenges – such as new circuits, F1-grade tracks like Silverstone GP and Zandvoort, and varying track conditions – will stand him in good stead for FIA Formula 3. We’re confident Fionn is ready for this next important step in his career, and we look forward to supporting his continued development as he aims for the top.”

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Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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