British driver Arvid Lindblad, a 17-year-old protege in the Red Bull junior program, has been awarded an F1 super licence. This follows a special request made by Red Bull to the FIA, which was granted.
An F1 super licence is a mandatory requirement for competing in Formula 1. Normally, drivers must be at least 18 years old and have accumulated a sufficient number of points from their performance in other racing series over the past three years to qualify.
However, a rule revision introduced last year allows the governing body to grant dispensation to a 17-year-old if they have `recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition`.
In his debut season in Formula 2, the main feeder series to F1, Lindblad currently sits third and has won two races. At the start of the year, he won the Formula Regional Oceania Championship, which would have provided enough points for a super licence upon reaching age 18. He finished fourth in his only F3 season in 2024.
Lindblad`s 18th birthday is on August 8.
Although Red Bull`s request for the exemption was reportedly submitted several weeks prior, the FIA`s World Motor Sport Council only reviewed and discussed the application at its recent meeting in Macau on Tuesday, its first session since late February.
An FIA statement confirmed: `The FIA has received a request to grant a super licence to Arvid Lindblad prior to his 18th birthday. After considering the information presented in support of this request, the World Council found that the driver has recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition and therefore approved the request.`
Will Lindblad Feature in an F1 Session This Year?
With the super licence granted early, the 17-year-old Lindblad, who was born in Surrey with Swedish and Indian heritage, is now eligible to participate in Formula 1 sessions should Red Bull decide to give him track time. Red Bull operates two F1 teams.
F1 regulations require all teams to field inexperienced drivers in two Practice One sessions per car throughout the season. Red Bull previously ran Japan`s Ayumu Iwasa in P1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April.
While Red Bull`s application for Lindblad`s early super licence was submitted independently of current events, the approval comes just before a crucial two-race period for senior Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. Following his collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, the world champion is now only one penalty point away from triggering a race ban.
Verstappen must avoid receiving any penalty points during the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix on June 29 to prevent a race ban. He will gain some reprieve as two points are set to expire from his licence on June 30.
Should the senior Red Bull team need a stand-in driver for a race, one of the two drivers from their sister team, Racing Bulls (Isack Hadjar or Liam Lawson), would likely be called upon. This scenario would in turn create a temporary vacancy at the Racing Bulls team.
The more experienced backup option for Red Bull is Ayumu Iwasa, 23, who has participated in Friday practice sessions for both Red Bull teams. Lindblad now also formally stands as an alternative option.
