Lindblad set for busy year: Possibly active in six Grand Prix weekends
Red Bull Contentpool
F1 News
- Ludo van Denderen
With his Super Licence secured, Arvid Lindblad is likely to have a very busy year ahead. Besides a full season in Formula 2, the Brit is also expected to have a full schedule of Formula 1 action. In fact, Lindblad may be in action in as many as six Grand Prix weekends.
Helmut Marko, the driving force behind the Red Bull Junior Team, made a surprising announcement for Lindblad in Abu Dhabi 2024: 'You are competing in the New Zealand championship purely to collect enough points for your Super Licence'. With the championship secured since last weekend, that mission has now been accomplished.
Lindblad can now compete in Formula 1
In theory, Lindblad could compete in a Grand Prix weekend from this point onwards - provided the FIA decides that, at 17, he is an exceptional racing talent. This fuels rumours that Lindblad is on standby at several races as a reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, alongside permanent reserve Ayumu Iwasa, who also has commitments in Japanese Super Formula.
In any case, Red Bull is setting up an extensive test programme for Lindblad in F1 cars older than two years. Along with this, it is obvious that the Briton will participate as a rookie in some free practice sessions on the Friday of a Grand Prix weekend. Following a rule change, every Grand Prix driver has to temporarily give his seat to a rookie twice a season for free practice sessions.
As a result, Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda will each have to give up their seat twice, theoretically making Lindblad able to step in six times. In that case, Lindblad will get several chances - possibly alternating with Iwasa, whom Red Bull do not see to be a regular Grand Prix driver. Isack Hadjar starts as a rookie at Racing Bulls, so that team already fulfils the rookie requirement in the first two race weekends.
Of course, Lindblad's main focus in 2025 is on his first season in Formula 2. In this step-up class, the young Briton wants to prove he is ready for F1, possibly as early as 2026.
This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!