Formula 1 News: FIA could green-light Lindblad for F1 next week

The FIA has formally approved Red Bull’s request to grant its British youngster Arvid Lindblad an FIA Super License before he turns 18.

“The FIA has received a request to grant a Super License to Arvid Lindblad prior to his 18th birthday,” an FIA statement from Macau read.

“After considering the information presented in support of this request, the World Council found that the driver has recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition, and therefore approved the request.”

Lindblad, currently third in his rookie F2 season, had already qualified for the super license based on the points system, but the FIA requires any eligible Formula 1 driver to be 18 and with a valid road driver’s license.

He passed his driving test over the winter, but Lindblad does not turn 18 until September.

“That’s why we’re currently applying to the FIA for an exemption, which (Kimi) Antonelli got,” Red Bull F1 advisor Dr Helmut Marko revealed recently.

It emerged a few days ago that the FIA would consider Red Bull’s application on Tuesday.

In the event that a further FIA sanction for Verstappen results in another penalty point on his super license this weekend in Canada, it is possible the quadruple world champion will have to sit out Red Bull’s home grand prix in Austria.

Marko says that would be a “catastrophe”, but Red Bull is still having to draw up contingency plans. Reports suggest the outfit would put either Liam Lawson or Isack Hadjar in Verstappen’s car, but Lawson has already been demoted in 2025 while Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer is begging Red Bull to leave Hadjar be.

“For heaven’s sake, don’t take this talent away from us too soon,” the Swiss newspaper Blick quotes Bayer as saying.

“He should learn the ropes here until the end of 2026. Until then, we’ll just have to keep him in handcuffs!”

Lawson or Hadjar aside, Red Bull’s primary reserve driver this season is Ayumu Iwasa – setting up the possibility of an all-Japanese (Iwasa and Yuki Tsunoda) lineup at Red Bull Racing for the Austrian GP.

Red Bull, however, now has another option.

June 6, 2025

(GMM) 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad could be on the Formula 1 grid soon. Red Bull sent the British-Swedish teenager to race in New Zealand over the winter to collect the final points he needs to qualify for an F1 super license.

The only missing piece now is special dispensation from the FIA – because the rules stipulate that, without the dispensation, 17-year-olds do not qualify.

“Arvid Lindblad has the points for the super license, but he doesn’t turn 18 until September,” Red Bull F1 advisor Dr Helmut Marko said recently.

“That’s why we’re currently applying to the FIA for an exemption, which (Kimi) Antonelli got.”

De Telegraaf newspaper reports that the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council will review the Lindblad license application “next Tuesday”.

The Dutch newspaper added: “Red Bull is responding to a possible suspension of Max Verstappen.”

Indeed, just one more penalty point on his own super license next weekend in Canada will mean the quadruple world champion may have to sit out Red Bull’s home race in Austria.

“He can’t commit any offenses over the next two race weekends,” Marko confirmed to Speed Week, “and of course, he’ll be told not to do anything rash.

“It would be a catastrophe if he couldn’t start in Austria. But we don’t expect that to happen because it’s certainly not the case that Max does something wrong in every race. After Austria, the first penalty points will be removed.”

If Verstappen is banned for a race, the most likely scenario is that Red Bull will promote Isack Hadjar from the Racing Bulls team and replace him with Lindblad.

“Arvid Lindblad has had a strong performance in Formula 2,” Marko noted. “He won the main race (in Barcelona), thus celebrating his second victory of his rookie season.

“If he continues like this, we can expect him to move up to Formula 1. He may only be 17 years old, but he’s also a tremendous talent.”

Meanwhile, Marko reassured Yuki Tsunoda that his place next to Verstappen at the senior team is probably safe, at least for the rest of 2025.

“Tsunoda has scored one point in the last three races, and that’s obviously not satisfactory,” said the Austrian.

“But he needs more time, and he’ll get it. We expect him to be in the car until the end of the season.”