Red Bull have made major changes to theirs and Racing Bulls’ driver line-up in 2025 – and there could be another target set to join the ranks.
Max Verstappen will be partnered with Liam Lawson this season after Sergio Perez was sacked at the end of 2024. The Kiwi driver impressed the team with his performances with Racing Bulls – formerly AlphaTauri – as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement.
Lawson snubbed Yuki Tsunoda of the second Red Bull seat. The Japanese driver would have been considered the favourite to replace Perez given his experience but the Milton Keynes-based outfit opted for the New Zealander.
Tsunoda now faces a fifth season with Racing Bulls as he partners with F2 runner-up Isack Hadjar. However, the 24-year-old will also serve as Red Bull’s reserve driver.
Tsunoda is Red Bull’s last resort to replace Lawson if he struggles to perform. While the team will keep tabs on him in 2025, it is unlikely the Japanese driver’s future will be with the Red Bull family.
Both Racing Bulls drivers are out of contract in 2025 and could be sidelined if they cannot live up to expectations. It seems Red Bull already have their next F1 driver lined up as Helmut Marko works on getting him into the team.
Helmut Marko is already working ‘behind the scenes’ to promote Arvid Lindblad as a Red Bull reserve driver
Arvid Lindblad is being talked about like Verstappen was during his junior career. The 17-year-old Brit will embark on his rookie season in F2 in 2025 after finishing fourth last year in F3.
Red Bull have already been preparing their next young talent for a potential move to F1. Lindblad has obtained enough superlicence points to – in theory – race in the pinnacle of motorsport in 2025.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad including his parents
However, the Brit is not old enough to get a superlicense – he turns 18 in September. Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko is said to be working on getting a special exemption for Lindblad, similar to what Mercedes did with Kimi Antonelli.
According to journalist Joris Mosterdijk via RacingNews365, Marko is working ‘behind the scenes’ to promote the Brit as a reserve driver – either as an extra driver like Alpine have done or as a replacement for Racing Bulls reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa.
“Some nice other Red Bull news because they of course have their reserve driver right, at Red Bull Racing,” said Mosterdijk.
“You actually have Yuki Tsunoda, you have Ayumu Iwasa who is the one at Racing Bulls.
“But Helmut Marko is actually already working behind the scenes to either replace Iwasa or maybe add an extra driver like Alpine because Lindblad, the man who will hopefully make progress in Formula 2. Last year he drove in Formula 3.
“They want to register [him] as a reserve driver. Well, that still has some work to do because he is not yet 18.”
Laurent Mekies sets Arvid Lindblad a clear ‘goal’ before Racing Bulls opportunity
It is clear Lindblad is being lined up as Red Bull’s next F1 talent. It would be natural to assume he will be put into the Racing Bulls team to start instead of being thrust into the main outfit.
The Brit has been conducting tests in old F1 machinery to help get his superlicense and prepare for a future F1 move. Lindblad brought out a red flag during a private test at Imola – emulating Lewis Hamilton who crashed in Barcelona during testing for Ferrari.
Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies says F2 is the ‘goal’ for Lindblad in 2025. A strong season in the junior category will put him in a great position come 2026 to make his F1 debut.
The 17-year-old will feel the pressure from Red Bull to perform this year. Lindblad is rated highly by Marko – and he will be eager to show why he is considered the next big thing coming out of the team.
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