Arvid Lindblad Gets F1 Superlicense Before Turning 18
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has granted a Formula 1 superlicense to the young Red Bull driver, Arvid Lindblad, before he turns 18, following a request from the team.
Lindblad will turn 18 on August 8th, the age normally required to obtain a superlicense. However, he already has the necessary points thanks to his successes in the lower categories.
After a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Macau, the FIA confirmed that it had received a request to grant Lindblad a superlicense before his birthday.
After considering the information presented in support of this request, the World Council determined that the driver has recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding skill and maturity in single-seater competition and, therefore, approved the request,” it reads in a statement.
Lindblad is currently in third place in the Formula 2 championship, after achieving his first victory in the season’s main race in the last round in Spain.The British driver is set to participate in the free practice sessions before the August break, but will now also qualify as a reserve driver for Red Bull and its junior team, Racing Bulls.
This last could be significant for the two Red Bull-owned teams, as the current champion, Max Verstappen, is one penalty point away from having his super license suspended for a race.
Although Lindblad’s super license application was submitted before Verstappen received three penalty points in the last round in Spain, Lindblad could be an alternative to current reserve driver Ayuma Iwasa, who is currently competing in Japan’s Super Formula.
Lindblad is considered a rising star in the Red Bull junior program and will be a prime candidate for a seat with Racing Bulls in 2026.
Red Bull currently has four drivers under contract in F1, with Verstappen paired with Yuki Tsunoda in the main team and Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson driving for the junior team.
