Red Bull are now one step closer to ‘wild’ driver market play during 2025 Formula 1 season

Red Bull were at the centre of Formula 1’s remarkable 2025 driver market. Even in a year where Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari, the Bulls ended up dominating the headlines.

First, there was the uncertainty around Max Verstappen. After Hamilton’s bombshell announcement, the F1 paddock expected Verstappen to leave Red Bull, only for him to recommit in the summer.

Yuki Tsunoda saw his contract option picked up in June, but the second Racing Bulls seat was a source of constant speculation. Daniel Ricciardo was the incumbent, but Liam Lawson always seemed on the verge of a full-time return.

In the end, Ricciardo made it to the Singapore Grand Prix before losing his drive to Lawson. And in just six races, the New Zealander showed enough to earn a promotion.

Sergio Perez started the season well but unravelled in alarming fashion. He just about held onto his seat beyond the summer break, and by the finale in Abu Dhabi, it was clear that his position was untenable – contract or otherwise.

Perez’s departure and Lawson’s ascent opened up a spot for F2 runner-up Isack Hadjar at Faenza. Since the end of the Verstappen/Ricciardo partnership in 2018, there have now been 11 different line-ups across the two teams.

Red Bull can now promote Arvid Lindblad to a Formula 1 seat in 2025

According to a report from Motorsport.com, another ‘wild’ Red Bull move isn’t out of the question in 2025. They’ve only just reset their line-ups, but they don’t appear secure long-term.

While Verstappen is clearly untouchable, the other three drivers will be under pressure. Arvid Lindblad is the next driver off the production line.

If Lindblad ‘proves himself’ in F2, it’s ‘possible’ that he lands an F1 seat mid-season. The most likely scenario, given his experience levels, would be a move to Racing Bulls.

Red Bull have been ‘urgently’ training Lindblad in private tests to build up his superlicence points. But the teenager has just won the Formula Regional Oceania Championship, which ‘should’ mean that he’s cleared the F1 threshold (according to journalist Chris Medland).

How Arvid Lindblad hype at Red Bull compares to Max Verstappen rise

Lindblad won the title with two rounds to spare, having racked up six wins, six pole positions and 10 podiums from 12 races. It was an imperious display.

Helmut Marko thinks Lindblad can be a world champion, although it may still be too early to place that level of expectation on him. He finished fourth in F3 last year and is arguably the standout driver on this season’s F2 grid.

According to one journalist, Lindblad is generating similar excitement to Verstappen behind the scenes. Not since the arrival of the Dutchman in 2014 has there been so much hype.

Intriguingly, it’s said that Red Bull pushed for changes to F1’s superlicence rules so that Lindblad would be eligible. He won’t turn 18 until August, but that will no longer be a disqualifier.