Red Bull leading light closes in on F1 eligibility as super licence beckons
02 Feb 2025 2:00 PM
Red Bull talent Arvid Lindblad is closing in on his FIA Super Licence.
Red Bull junior driver Arvid Lindblad will become eligible for an FIA Super Licence with one more win in his current winter series.
The British-Swedish racer headed to New Zealand this winter, to race in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship with the aim of securing an FIA Super Licence.
Arvid Lindblad closes in on FIA Super Licence
17-year-old Arvid Lindblad is one of the leading lights of the Red Bull junior driver programme, with Lindblad stepping up to race with Campos in Formula 2 in 2025 where he’ll face Red Bull junior peers Pepe Marti and Oliver Goethe.
Before embarking on his maiden F2 campaign, Red Bull sent him to New Zealand to race in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship where a strong showing in the championship would net him enough points to become eligible for the FIA Super Licence which permits holders to race in Formula 1.
Lindblad has scored 15 points from his Formula 4 endeavours so far, with fifth, fourth, and third-place championship finishes across series in the UAE, Italy, and Europe in 2023, while his fourth-place finish in F3 last year netted him another 15 points.
With 18 points up for grabs in the New Zealand series, this would put him above the 40-point threshold needed for an F1 Super Licence, and could thus make him a prospect for Red Bull’s driver line-ups in the near future.
Lindblad has proven adept in the series, despite his unfamiliarity with the circuits, and secured his seventh victory of the championship to increase his tally to 312 points with one race weekend remaining. One victory from the final three races, to be held at Highlands Motor Park, will secure Lindblad the championship and licence eligibility – even before he embarks on his F2 campaign.
However, Red Bull would need to apply for an exception to be made, if desired, as Lindblad doesn’t turn 18 until August 8th 2025. Last year, the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council rowed back on the rigidity of the Super Licence requirements, allowing teams to apply for exceptions on the basis of age once all other requirements have been reached.
Lindblad is known to have fans in Red Bull bosses Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko, with Marko eager to help uncover a natural successor for Max Verstappen.
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Appearing on the Inside Line podcast, Marko said: “It’s a great pleasure and enjoyment to work with Max, but Max won’t drive forever. Especially not as long as [Fernando] Alonso or [Lewis] Hamilton are doing.
“And the junior team [ambition] is to find new talents. And we are not looking for a new Max. We’re looking for a new champion.
“I think the next one which looks really promising is Arvid Lindblad.”
Asked to identify Lindblad’s strengths, he added: “First of all is his pure speed. He proved that in go-karting and in all the junior categories.
“He’s very smart and he is honest to himself. When he makes a mistake, he doesn’t look for excuses and he’s looking forward.
“He’s always one category ahead already. That’s also from his physical side.
“As for his mental preparation, when he goes in a new formula, he is one of the few ones who went directly from Formula 4 to F3.
“He has his opinion, and he knows how to prepare, and he commits to it step by step.
“So I would say it’s a very good combination between mental and driving skills.”
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