With Sir Keir Starmer under pressure to accelerate plans to reverse the decline, two new episodes of Sky News and Tortoise's podcast series The Wargame uncover what happened behind the scenes as Britain switched funding away from warfare and into peacetime priorities such as health and welfare after the Soviet Union collapsed. 👉Search for The Wargame on your podcast app👈 This decades-long saga, spanning multiple Labour, Conservative and coalition governments, includes heated rows between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Treasury, threats to resign, and dire warnings of weakness. It also exposes a failure by the military and civil service to spend Britain's still-significant defence budget effectively, further compounding the erosion of fighting power. 'Russia knew' about UK's weaknesses Now, with the threat from Russia returning, there is a concern the UK has been left to bluff about its ability to respond, rather than pivot decisively back to a war footing. "We've been living on a sort of mirage for so long," says Sir Ben Wallace, a Conservative defence secretary from 2019 until 2023. "As long as Trooping the Colour was happening, and the Red Arrows flew, and prime ministers could pose at NATO, everything was fine. "But it wasn't fine. And the people who knew it wasn't fine were actually the Americans, but also the Russians." Not enough troops, medics, or ammo Lord George Robertson, a Labour defence secretary from 1997 to 1999 and the lead author of a major defence review this year, says when he most recently "lifted the bonnet" to look at the state of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, he found "we were really unprepared". "We don't have enough ammunition, we don't have enough logistics, we don't have enough trained soldiers, the training is not right, and we don't have enough medics to take the casualties that would be involved in a full-scale war." Asked if the situation was worse than he had imagined, Lord Robertson says: "Much worse." 'I was shocked,' says ex-defence secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, a former Conservative defence secretary, says he too had been "quite shocked as to how thin things were" when he was in charge at the MoD between 2017 and 2019. "There was this sort of sense of: 'Oh, the MoD is always good for a billion [pounds] from Treasury - you can always take a billion out of the MoD and nothing will really change.' "And maybe that had been the case in the past, but the cupboards were really bare. "You were just taking the cupboards." But Lord Philip Hammond, a Conservative defence secretary from 2011 to 2014 and chancellor from 2016 until 2019, appears less sympathetic to the cries for increased cash. "Gavin Williamson came in [to the Ministry of Defence], the military polished up their bleeding stumps as best they could and convinced him that the UK's defence capability was about to collapse," he says. "He came scuttling across the road to Downing Street to say, I need billions of pounds more money… To be honest, I didn't think that he had sufficiently interrogated the military begging bowls that had been presented to him." What to expect from The Wargame's return Episodes one to five of The Wargame simulate a Russian attack on the UK and imagine what might happen, with former politicians and military chiefs back in the hot seat. The drama reveals how vulnerable the country has really become to an attack on the home front. The two new episodes seek to find out why. The story of the UK's hollowed-out defences starts in a different era when an Iron Curtain divided Europe, Ronald Reagan was president of the US, and an Iron Lady was in power in Britain. Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who went on to serve as defence secretary between 1992 and 1995 under John Major, recalls his time as minister for state at the Foreign Office in 1984. In December of that year, then prime minister Margaret Thatcher agreed to host a relatively unknown member of the Soviet Communist Party Politburo called Mikhail Gorbachev, who subsequently became the last leader of the Soviet Union. Sir Malcolm remembers how Mrs Thatcher emerged from the meeting to say: "I think Mr Gorbachev is a man with whom we can do business." It was an opinion she shared with her close ally, the US president. Sir Malcolm says: "Reagan would have said, 'I'm not going to speak to some unknown communist in the Politburo'. But if the Iron Lady, who Reagan thought very highly of, says he's worth talking to, he must be worth it. We'd better get in touch with this guy. Which they did. "And I'm oversimplifying it, but that led to the Cold War ending without a shot being fired." Read more from Sky News:Courts in 'calamitous' stateReeves faces rural Labour rebellion In the years that followed, the UK and  much of the rest of Europe reaped a so-called peace dividend, cutting defence budgets, shrinking militaries and reducing wider readiness for war. Into this different era stepped Tony Blair as Labour's first post-Cold War prime minister, with Lord Robertson as his defence secretary. Lord Robertson reveals the threat he and his ministerial team secretly made to protect their budget from then chancellor Gordon Brown amid a sweeping review of defence, which was meant to be shaped by foreign policy, not financial envelopes. "I don't think I've ever said this in public before, but John Reid, who was the minister for the Armed Forces, and John Speller, who was one of the junior ministers in the department, the three of us went to see Tony Blair late at night - he was wearing a tracksuit, we always remember - and we said that if the money was taken out of our budget, the budget that was based on the foreign policy baseline, then we would have to resign," Lord Robertson says. "We obviously didn't resign - but we kept the money." The podcast hears from three other Labour defence secretaries: Geoff Hoon, Lord John Hutton and the current incumbent, John Healey. For the Conservatives, as well as Rifkind, Hammond, Williamson and Wallace, there are interviews with Liam Fox, Sir Michael Fallon, Dame Penny Mordaunt and Sir Grant Shapps. In addition, military commanders have their say, with recollections from Field Marshal Lord David Richards, who was chief of the defence staff from 2010 until 2013, General Sir Nick Carter, who led the armed forces from 2018 until 2021, and Vice Admiral Sir Nick Hine, who was second in charge of the navy from 2019 until 2022. 'We cut too far' At one point, Sir Grant, who held a variety of cabinet roles, including defence secretary, is asked whether he regrets the decisions the Conservative government took when in power. He says: "Yes, I think it did cut defence too far. I mean, I'll just be completely black and white about it." Lord Robertson says Labour too shares some responsibility: "Everyone took the peace dividend right through."

The star, 44, pleaded guilty by post to the charge at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court on Tuesday but did not attend the hearing. Willoughby was fined £1,653 alongside £130 in costs and a £661 victim surcharge and given six points on her licence, the Metropolitan Police said. According to court documents, the incident happened on 28 August as she was driving her Mini Cooper near her home in Richmond, southwest London. Police were called to Church Road, Barnes, following reports of a collision. The rider of the moped, a 43-year-old man, was taken to hospital. His injuries were assessed as neither life-threatening nor life-changing. Read more from Sky News:Gavin Plumb loses appealWilloughby tells of 'tough' year The presenter is best known for fronting Dancing On Ice as well as ITV daytime show This Morning, which she left in October 2023.

With Sir Keir Starmer under pressure to accelerate plans to reverse the decline, two new episodes of Sky News and Tortoise's podcast series The Wargame uncover what happened behind the scenes as Britain switched funding away from warfare and into peacetime priorities such as health and welfare after the Soviet Union collapsed. 👉Search for The Wargame on your podcast app👈 This decades-long saga, spanning multiple Labour, Conservative and coalition governments, includes heated rows between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Treasury, threats to resign, and dire warnings of weakness. It also exposes a failure by the military and civil service to spend Britain's still-significant defence budget effectively, further compounding the erosion of fighting power. 'Russia knew' about UK's weaknesses Now, with the threat from Russia returning, there is a concern the UK has been left to bluff about its ability to respond, rather than pivot decisively back to a war footing. "We've been living on a sort of mirage for so long," says Sir Ben Wallace, a Conservative defence secretary from 2019 until 2023. "As long as Trooping the Colour was happening, and the Red Arrows flew, and prime ministers could pose at NATO, everything was fine. "But it wasn't fine. And the people who knew it wasn't fine were actually the Americans, but also the Russians." Not enough troops, medics, or ammo Lord George Robertson, a Labour defence secretary from 1997 to 1999 and the lead author of a major defence review this year, says when he most recently "lifted the bonnet" to look at the state of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, he found "we were really unprepared". "We don't have enough ammunition, we don't have enough logistics, we don't have enough trained soldiers, the training is not right, and we don't have enough medics to take the casualties that would be involved in a full-scale war." Asked if the situation was worse than he had imagined, Lord Robertson says: "Much worse." 'I was shocked,' says ex-defence secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, a former Conservative defence secretary, says he too had been "quite shocked as to how thin things were" when he was in charge at the MoD between 2017 and 2019. "There was this sort of sense of: 'Oh, the MoD is always good for a billion [pounds] from Treasury - you can always take a billion out of the MoD and nothing will really change.' "And maybe that had been the case in the past, but the cupboards were really bare. "You were just taking the cupboards." But Lord Philip Hammond, a Conservative defence secretary from 2011 to 2014 and chancellor from 2016 until 2019, appears less sympathetic to the cries for increased cash. "Gavin Williamson came in [to the Ministry of Defence], the military polished up their bleeding stumps as best they could and convinced him that the UK's defence capability was about to collapse," he says. "He came scuttling across the road to Downing Street to say, I need billions of pounds more money… To be honest, I didn't think that he had sufficiently interrogated the military begging bowls that had been presented to him." What to expect from The Wargame's return Episodes one to five of The Wargame simulate a Russian attack on the UK and imagine what might happen, with former politicians and military chiefs back in the hot seat. The drama reveals how vulnerable the country has really become to an attack on the home front. The two new episodes seek to find out why. The story of the UK's hollowed-out defences starts in a different era when an Iron Curtain divided Europe, Ronald Reagan was president of the US, and an Iron Lady was in power in Britain. Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who went on to serve as defence secretary between 1992 and 1995 under John Major, recalls his time as minister for state at the Foreign Office in 1984. In December of that year, then prime minister Margaret Thatcher agreed to host a relatively unknown member of the Soviet Communist Party Politburo called Mikhail Gorbachev, who subsequently became the last leader of the Soviet Union. Sir Malcolm remembers how Mrs Thatcher emerged from the meeting to say: "I think Mr Gorbachev is a man with whom we can do business." It was an opinion she shared with her close ally, the US president. Sir Malcolm says: "Reagan would have said, 'I'm not going to speak to some unknown communist in the Politburo'. But if the Iron Lady, who Reagan thought very highly of, says he's worth talking to, he must be worth it. We'd better get in touch with this guy. Which they did. "And I'm oversimplifying it, but that led to the Cold War ending without a shot being fired." Read more from Sky News:Courts in 'calamitous' stateReeves faces rural Labour rebellion In the years that followed, the UK and  much of the rest of Europe reaped a so-called peace dividend, cutting defence budgets, shrinking militaries and reducing wider readiness for war. Into this different era stepped Tony Blair as Labour's first post-Cold War prime minister, with Lord Robertson as his defence secretary. Lord Robertson reveals the threat he and his ministerial team secretly made to protect their budget from then chancellor Gordon Brown amid a sweeping review of defence, which was meant to be shaped by foreign policy, not financial envelopes. "I don't think I've ever said this in public before, but John Reid, who was the minister for the Armed Forces, and John Speller, who was one of the junior ministers in the department, the three of us went to see Tony Blair late at night - he was wearing a tracksuit, we always remember - and we said that if the money was taken out of our budget, the budget that was based on the foreign policy baseline, then we would have to resign," Lord Robertson says. "We obviously didn't resign - but we kept the money." The podcast hears from three other Labour defence secretaries: Geoff Hoon, Lord John Hutton and the current incumbent, John Healey. For the Conservatives, as well as Rifkind, Hammond, Williamson and Wallace, there are interviews with Liam Fox, Sir Michael Fallon, Dame Penny Mordaunt and Sir Grant Shapps. In addition, military commanders have their say, with recollections from Field Marshal Lord David Richards, who was chief of the defence staff from 2010 until 2013, General Sir Nick Carter, who led the armed forces from 2018 until 2021, and Vice Admiral Sir Nick Hine, who was second in charge of the navy from 2019 until 2022. 'We cut too far' At one point, Sir Grant, who held a variety of cabinet roles, including defence secretary, is asked whether he regrets the decisions the Conservative government took when in power. He says: "Yes, I think it did cut defence too far. I mean, I'll just be completely black and white about it." Lord Robertson says Labour too shares some responsibility: "Everyone took the peace dividend right through."

The unstoppable Norway forward hammered home his landmark goal with a powerful strike 17 minutes into Man City's incredible 5-4 win at Fulham. Haaland became the 35th player to achieve the feat and the first since Heung-Min Son in 2023, but by far the quickest - obliterating Alan Shearer's previous record which had stood for almost 30 years. The 25-year-old is comfortably the most ruthless goalscorer in Premier League history, scoring at a rate of more than 0.9 goals per game, miles ahead of his nearest competition Thierry Henry - himself widely considered one of the best strikers in the history of the game. "It's huge and I'm really proud," he said after being presented with the man of the match trophy on Sky Sports folowing that victory at Fulham. "It's a massive thing, the 100 club is a nice thing to be in and I'm happy. "I knew about it, it's what I tried to do. I try to help the team scoring goals, that's my job." Since bursting onto the Premier League scene with 10 goals in his first six matches in 2022/23 he has barely looked back - even if he has had to deal with his fair share of flak for scoring just 22 goals last season. He hits his century, in the words of the striker himself, in the best form of his life. "I've never felt better than I do now," he told Sky Sports after his winning goal against Brentford earlier this season. Man City news & transfers 🔵 | Man City fixtures & scoresGot Sky? Watch Man City games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔Haaland's breathtaking race to 100 goals After such a fast start to his Manchester City career you could hardly say the goals dried up for Haaland - especially as he netted 25 in his first 20 games - but he did at least slow down to just under a goal a game well before reaching his century. His newly crowned position as being the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals was never in doubt, though, smashing Shearer's record by 19 games - and exceeding the Newcastle legend's strike rate throughout his time in the Premier League to date. Here's the breakdown of his key goals en route to his century: Goal 1, Match 1: West Ham 0-2 Man City - August 7, 2022 Haaland took no time to announce his arrival in the Premier League with a debut double, the first coming from the penalty spot nine minutes before half-time on the opening weekend of the season. His second that day would offer a better indication of what was to come - racing onto Kevin De Bruyne's perfect pass in behind and smartly slotting beyond Alphonse Areola. Goal 10, Match 6: Aston Villa 1-1 Man City - September 3, 2022 Just six Premier League games into his Etihad spell Haaland hit double figures, having already scored back-to-back hat-tricks to end August. It was another combination with De Bruyne to give them the lead at Villa Park - with Sky Sports' Lewis Jones labelling the pair the new "deadly double act". Goal 25, Match 19: Man City 3-0 Wolves - January 22, 2023 A fourth hat-trick in his debut season brought Haaland to his quarter-century in his 19th game, almost sealing the golden boot with less than half the season gone, as his breathtaking form continued - even though he had already played in five games without scoring. Even with his incredible numbers, Pep Guardiola was forced to bat away accusations after the game that City had become a "worse" team as a result of the Norwegian's style. Goal 50, Match 48: Man City 1-1 Liverpool - November 25, 2023 Haaland became the fastest Premier League player in history to reach 50 goals, still averaging more than a goal a game, giving Shearer his first reason to worry by beating his long-standing record by 19 matches. His finish was a fine example of his poacher's instinct, taking advantage of a poor clearance by Alisson Becker to pounce for the opener. Goal 100, Match 111: Fulham vs Man City - December 2, 2025 After blanking in his previous two games against Newcastle and Leeds, it was third time lucky to reach his century as Haaland lashed Jeremy Doku's low ball beyond a helpless Bernd Leno to bring up his century against Fulham - his seventh goal against the Cottagers. Carra: Haaland the greatest to do it in England Speaking earlier this month when Haaland netted in a ninth successive game, Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher hailed the Norwegian as the best goalscorer English football had ever seen. "I honestly can't remember Jimmy Greaves, Dixie Dean and all those players from years ago. But I think of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Ian Rush for my club Liverpool," he said. "There's a difference for me between a great centre-forward or striker and a goalscorer. I think what we're witnessing now is something we've never seen before in our game and don't forget, this is a club where the goalscorer beforehand was Sergio Aguero, one of the greatest we'll ever see. "This is on a completely different level to Aguero. He's the best." Guardiola went one step further earlier this month in comparing the juggernaut to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in terms of his output. "Have you seen the numbers of the guy?" he said. "Of course, he's at that level. The numbers from Ronaldo and Messi, the only difference is they were doing it for 15 years. Cristiano is still doing it in Saudi, Lionel in the MLS. "It's the way he shoots, he believes he's going to score. It's starvation. The numbers are top. I've said many times how incredibly coachable and manageable he is. I'm tough with him sometimes, and ask him to do things better. But it's always open-minded. "There are players who would be thinking: 'What are you talking about?' But he's completely down to earth." When could Haaland break Shearer's all-time record? It's already becoming a case of when rather than if Haaland should break Shearer's all-time record, which has stood since his final Premier League goal in April 2006. "I know about it but I don't think too much about it," he told Sky Sports after reaching his ton. But maybe he should - if Haaland continues remains at Manchester City and keeps up his current level of fitness, having missed just 14 league games across more than three seasons at the Etihad, he's set to overtake Shearer in September 2030, shortly after his 30th birthday. In fact, if he keeps up his form up to this point up until the end of the nine-and-a-half year deal he signed in January, he'll end up with 389 goals - beating it by 129. Even if he doesn't reach that tally, he could easily beat up a lead which stands even longer than Shearer's. Who have been Haaland's favourite opponents? Haaland joined Harry Kane in February 2024 in becoming the only Premier League player to score against every opponent they had faced (including three or more teams) when he netted the only goal in a 1-0 win over Brentford. He has since gone on to add another two victims to that list in Ipswich and Luton - but no-one has proven a more popular opponent for Haaland than Wolves, who have conceded a goal every 48.6 minutes on average against the centurion. Of the four clubs he has netted only one against, two have since been relegated in Luton and Sheffield United - though he has played only 81 and 90 minutes against them respectively. Ipswich are the club he has been the most prolific against in his 100 Premier League goals, scoring on average every 38 minutes against the Tractor Boys. And where would Man City be without him? It's hard to overstate exactly how crucial Haaland has been to City in the three years since he has joined the club - to the point he has even evaded Guardiola's famous rotation for most of his time at the club, and has been dubbed undroppable by his manager. Why? Numbers. He has netted almost 35 per cent of Manchester City's goals since his double on his debut in August 2022, with Phil Foden a distant second - and he has only scored 12 times since the start of last season.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner were involved in the five-hour discussion at the Kremlin, which came days after separate talks were held with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida. But following the meeting, Mr Putin's foreign policy adviser warned a compromise is yet to be found - and "there's still a lot of work to be done" before both presidents meet again. Yuri Ushakov said: "We could agree on some things, and the president confirmed this to his interlocutors. Other things provoked criticism - and the president also didn't hide our critical and even negative attitude toward a number of proposals." One particular sticking point relates to Russia's demand that Ukraine cedes control of the entire Donbas region, which has caused alarm among European leaders. He warned: "Territorial issues were specifically discussed, without which we see no resolution to the crisis." When asked whether a deal was closer or further away following the talks, Mr Ushakov added: "Not further, that's for sure." Nonetheless, the senior Russian official described the negotiations as "rather useful, constructive and rather substantive" - and confirmed that the framework of America's peace plan was discussed rather than specific wording. "Some of the American proposals seem more or less acceptable, but they need to be discussed," he said. "Some of the wording that was proposed doesn't suit us. So the work will continue." Read more:Michael Clarke answers your Ukraine war questions'Thousands' of Westerners applying to live in Russia Putin: Europe on the side of war Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Putin had said Russia was ready to fight if Europe wanted a war. The Russian president accused European powers of changing peace proposals for Ukraine with "demands" that Russia considered "absolutely unacceptable". Mr Putin also claimed the Europeans were "on the side of war". "We're not planning to go to war with Europe, I've said that a hundred times," he said following an investment forum. "But if Europe suddenly wants to fight us and starts, we're ready right now. There can be no doubt about that." He added: "If Europe suddenly wants to start a war with us and does, then a situation could very quickly arise in which we have no one to negotiate with." The warning comes as Sky News releases new episodes of The Wargame podcast, where interviews with almost every British defence secretary since the end of the Cold War suggest the UK is "really unprepared" to fight a war. European governments have spent billions of pounds to support Ukraine financially and militarily - as well as investing in efforts to wean themselves from Russian energy, and strengthening their own armed forces. There is concern that, if Moscow gets what it wants in Ukraine, it could embolden Russia to threaten or disrupt other European countries, which have already faced repeated incursions from drones and fighter jets in recent months. Zelenskyy in Dublin Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Dublin on Tuesday to meet Ireland's prime minister and president. During the trip, Ukraine's president had warned that a lot was riding on the outcome of the talks in Moscow - and he was expecting swift reports from the US envoys on whether negotiations could move forward. "The future and the next steps depend on these signals," Mr Zelenskyy said at a news conference. "If the signals show fair play with our partners, we then might meet very soon." Mr Zelenskyy added: "Our people are dying every day. I am ready ... to meet with President Trump. It all depends on the talks." He said there would be "no easy decisions" - and stressed there must be "no games behind Ukraine's back".

"Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda," the pop star posted on X. The White House used part of Carpenter's upbeat song Juno over pictures of immigration agents handcuffing, chasing and detaining people. It was posted on social media on Monday and has been viewed 1.2 million times so far. President Trump's policy of sending officers into communities to forcibly round up illegal immigrants has proved controversial, with protests and legal challenges ongoing. Mr Trump promised the biggest deportation in US history, but some of those detained have been living and working in the US for decades and have no criminal record. Carpenter is not the only star to express disgust over the administration's use of their music. Olivia Rodrigo last month warned the White House not to "ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda" after All-American Bitch was used in a video urging undocumented migrants to leave voluntarily. Read more from Sky News:Pope urges Trump not to oust Venezuelan president by forceGovernment delays Chinese 'super embassy' decision In July, English singer Jess Glynne also said she felt "sick" when her song from the viral Jet2 advert was used over footage of people in handcuffs being loaded on a plane.Other artists have also previously hit out at Trump officials for using their music at political campaign events, including Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, Celine Dion, Ozzy Osbourne and The Rolling Stones.

The Financial Times (FT) quoted unnamed sources who said Nigel Farage had told donors he believes an agreement between both parties is inevitable. The newspaper said this indicates "he does not believe he can sweep to power alone" - and illustrates the challenge of turning political momentum into high office. Some Reform supporters have expressed concern that both parties could end up fighting over the same seats, splitting the right-wing vote and benefitting Labour. Others are worried about the first past the post system, which means candidates with the most votes win a constituency - even if they fail to secure a majority. Reform UK received 4.1 million votes in 2024, making it the third-most popular party, but won just five seats out of 650. Farage: A deal would cost us votes The FT report suggested Mr Farage would only agree to a deal on his terms because he felt betrayed after a pact made with the Tories in 2019, when his Brexit Party helped hand Boris Johnson victory. But the Reform leader denied these rumours - and declared "the Conservatives will no longer be a national party" after the local elections in May 2026 anyway. He said: "I would never do a deal with a party I don't trust. No deals, just a reverse takeover. "A deal with them as they are would cost us votes." A Tory spokesman also warned that no deals or pacts will be considered under Kemi Badenoch's leadership. He added: "Reform want higher welfare spending and to cosy up to Putin. Only the Conservatives have the team, the plan, and the backbone to deliver." The latest YouGov opinion poll suggests support for Reform UK is at 26% - with Labour and the Tories deadlocked on 19% each. Reform's momentum has led about 20 former Tory MPs to defect, including Boris Johnson ally Nadine Dorries. However, figures suggest the Conservatives have the upper hand when it comes to donations - receiving three times more cash than Reform in the first half of 2025. Read more politics news:Reeves facing Labour rebellionPolling makes grim reading for PM One Reform donor told the FT: "They will have to come together. The Conservatives have been a successful political party forever because the left was always divided … If the right is divided, it can't win." A Labour Party spokesperson was equally scathing of both parties - claiming the Conservatives broke public services, and Reform would make "savage" spending cuts. "This shady backroom plot will send a shiver down the spine of people up and down the country, and shows you simply can't trust Nigel Farage," they added.

Tsunoda will stay in the Red Bull fold as test and reserve driver. Hadjar's impressive rookie campaign at Racing Bulls, which included a podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, has earned him a seat alongside Verstappen, who is aiming to win a record-equalling fifth consecutive drivers' title at Sunday's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Current Formula 2 driver Lindblad, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian heritage, will be the only debutant in the field next year as the 18-year-old joins Racing Bulls alongside Liam Lawson. Arvid Lindblad: Meet Britain's newest F1 driverF1 title permutations for three-way Abu Dhabi GP deciderWhen to watch Abu Dhabi GP on Sky | F1 championship standingsNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 Hadjar, 21, said: "I'm so grateful to Oracle Red Bull Racing for giving me the opportunity and trust to race at the highest level of Formula 1. "After all the hard work I have put in since joining the junior team, it's such a great reward. "I've had many ups and downs throughout my career, and they kept believing and pushing me." Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said: "[Hadjar] has displayed great maturity and proved to be a quick learner. Most importantly, he has demonstrated the raw speed that is the number one requirement in this sport. "We believe Isack can thrive alongside Max and produce the magic on track!" Tsunoda has spent five seasons in Formula 1 but largely underperformed this year after replacing Lawson at Red Bull from the third race of the season in April. The announcements on Tuesday complete the 22-driver field for 2026 which will see Cadillac join the grid amid new technical regulations where the pecking order could be shaken up. Hadjar next driver to take on F1's 'hardest seat' Hadjar will become Verstappen's fourth team-mate in the space of 13 months after Tsunoda, Lawson and Sergio Perez, and the sixth in eight seasons since Daniel Ricciardo left the team at the end of 2018. The seat next to the Dutchman was routinely described as the "hardest" in F1 by former Red Bull chief Christian Horner and, despite theoretically representing one of the grid's few race-winning drives, has become something of a poisoned chalice for its occupant. After Perez's increasingly difficult four years in the seat were ended at the end of 2024, Lawson was promoted from Racing Bulls but lasted just the season-opening Australian and Chinese race weekends before being demoted back down to the sister team and Tsunoda promoted in his place. But despite the 25-year-old's greater F1 experience than his immediate predecessor, Tsunoda has similarly struggled. He has finished in the points just seven times in 21 Grand Prix appearances, with a best finish of sixth at September's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and is 15th in the Drivers' Championship, behind both Racing Bulls drivers. He has outqualified Verstappen only once in either format, last Saturday for the Qatar Sprint, and is 366 points behind his reigning champion team-mate, who has won seven grands prix to take the title fight with the McLaren drivers down to the final round. Hadjar, by contrast, has impressed in his rookie season at the top level. Recovering well from the initial setback of spinning out in the wet on his inaugural F1 formation lap at the Australian Grand Prix in March, Hadjar has generally outperformed Lawson and is 10th in the championship after 10 GP points finishes - headlined by his stunning third at Zandvoort, the Red Bull junior team's first F1 podium since 2021. "This year with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls has been absolutely amazing, I've learnt a lot and secured a maiden podium. I feel I'm much better as a racing driver and a person, due to the team's support and preparation," said Hadjar. "I feel ready to go to Oracle Red Bull Racing and I am happy and proud they feel the same. It's an awesome move, to work with the best and learn from Max is something I can't wait for." And while Hadjar will inevitably face a steep challenge to try and get close to the relentless Verstappen, his acclimatisation to the drive may be helped by the fact F1's cars are changing radically from next year, thanks to wide-ranging new chassis and engine regulations. Explaining the 'biggest changes ever' to F1 cars for 2026 season Red Bull are also building their own engine for the first time, in partnership with Ford. 'It was always my goal' - Red Bull protege Lindblad realises childhood F1 dream Lindblad was born in Virginia Water, Surrey in August 2007 and will be the fifth British driver on the 2026 grid. He will become the youngest-ever Briton to race at motorsport's top level when he starts the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 6, and the fourth-youngest overall after Verstappen - the only 17-year-old to start a race - Lance Stroll and Kimi Antonelli. Lindblad was signed to Red Bull's famed young driver programme aged 13 in 2021 during a stellar karting career. After graduating to single-seater racing a year later, he won the prestigious Macau Formula 4 race in 2023 and then the Formula Regional Oceania Championship at the start of this year. After a single season of F3, where he won four times and finished fourth in the standings, Lindblad went straight into F2 for 2025 and became the feeder series' youngest race winner, aged 17, by winning the Sprint race in Saudi Arabia in April. He followed that up in June with a victory in the main Feature race in Spain and is sixth in this year's standings heading into the final round in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Although the minimum age for an F1 superlicence is 18, Red Bull successfully applied to the FIA for a special exemption for their protege which allowed Lindblad to make his Friday practice debut at his home British Grand Prix in July, taking over Tsunoda's car. He returned to the RB21 in first practice in Mexico in October, this time in place of Verstappen, and impressed with the sixth-fastest time of that session, lapping a tenth of a second quicker than Tsunoda. Little over a month on and now, having been confirmed as an F1 race driver for the first time, Lindblad said: "I'd like to thank everyone at VCARB for the opportunity. "Since I started this journey at five years old, it was always my goal to be in Formula 1 so it's a proud moment to take this step. "I'm extremely grateful to the Red Bull junior programme and my personal team for their guidance, mentorship and belief; none of this would have been possible without their support. "2026 will be a big challenge and I know there's a lot to learn, but I'm ready to work closely with the team and rise to it. I can't wait to get started, it's going to be an exciting year!" Alan Permane, Racing Bulls' team principal, said of their 2026 line-up: "Liam has shown impressive performance and professionalism throughout this year, he has excelled when conditions have been at their hardest and we look forward to building on this in 2026, while Arvid's rapid progression marks him as one of the standout young talents in the sport. "Together, they form a strong and dynamic pairing, one that embodies the ambition and youthful spirit of VCARB as we enter a transformative new era for Formula 1." Lawson's best form on his return to Racing Bulls has come since the summer, with a best result of fifth in Azerbaijan. He first raced for Racing Bulls, then known as AlphaTauri, in place of an injured Ricciardo for five races in 2023 before replacing the Australian full-time from the United States Grand Prix of October 2024. Tsunoda retains reserve role Tsunoda staying in a back-up role at Red Bull will allow the Japanese driver to continue his F1 association, even if he will be off the grid after five seasons. Honda, the Japanese driver's long-term backers, are moving to Aston Martin in 2026. Mekies, who has worked with Tsunoda at both Red Bull teams, praised the 25-year-old's development as a driver and his contribution to the company's F1 efforts since 2021. "Everyone in the sport would agree it is impossible not to like Yuki, his personality is infectious, and he has become a very special part of the Red Bull family," he said. "On behalf of everyone at Red Bull, I thank him for what he has contributed so far and we know he will provide invaluable support to the 2026 projects moving forwards." The 2025 F1 season concludes with the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime