Formula 2 and Red Bull Junior Driver, Arvid Lindblad, is confirmed to be participating in FP1 at the F1 British GP, in an announcement by Helmut Marko.
The Briton, currently competing in the FIA F2 Championship at Campos Racing Team, sits in third in the championship standings. At 17 years old, the young driver has been a member of Red Bull’s Junior Development team since 2021. Helmut Marko, Red Bull advisor and head of the development program, made the announcement.
Red Bull’s preparative measures for Lindblad
The team has been taking several steps to prepare Lindblad for his FP1 debut at the Silverstone GP. This includes an FIA-approved request for the exemption of competing without a super licence. This was followed by his first testing session in a Red Bull car from previous seasons, at Imola.
In an interview with Austrian outlet Kleine Zeitung, Red Bull advisor Marko revealed:
“He spent half a day in the car on Monday in Italy to prepare. And he’ll also be in the car for Friday’s practice at Silverstone.”
He continued, expressing his hopeful disposition toward the driver, saying, “He stands out for his mental strength and self-confidence”.
Indeed, the young driver has been exhibiting notable performance. In his 2024 Formula 3 season, he placed 4th with a total of 4 wins. His exceptional performance was once again displayed at this year’s Spanish GP, where he converted Pole Position into his first F2 win.
Lindblad’s key role as Red Bull reserve driver
Marko explained that the acceleration in Lindblad’s preparation stems from their desire to reinforce their driver reserve. This is especially notable given Max Verstappen’s accumulation of penalty points, of which he currently has 11. Per FIA regulations, one more point would warrant a race ban for Verstappen.
“…we’re preparing in case something really happens to Max Verstappen regarding his penalty points.”
Lindblad now serves as an additional reserve driver to Red Bull’s F1 team, having recently received approval from the FIA to drive without a super licence. The team’s only other reserve driver is fellow Red Bull Junior driver Ayumu Iwasa, who has further commitments beyond his reserve driver duties.
“We currently have two reserve drivers: Lindblad and Ayumu Iwasa, whose Formula 1 schedules clash with his appearances in Japan.”
“It’s not that easy to find someone who’s in top shape. And that’s why Lindblad is in the car now”, Marko continued.
This weekend, Lindblad will compete at the Austrian GP, where he’ll be looking to close the narrow points gap in the F2 Championship. He will be chasing the current top two, Dunne in first and Verschoor in second.
