Lindblad at the wheel of an F1 car in FP1 at Silverstone

A driver to watch. Arvid Lindblad, a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, will experience F1 during the first free practice session of the Silverstone Grand Prix, where he will replace Yuki Tsunoda in the Red Bull. This information was confirmed by Helmut Marko, advisor to the Austrian team, providing his driver, who is only 17 years old, with his first official outing in the premier category.

This opportunity was made possible thanks to a waiver granted by the FIA, allowing Red Bull to have Lindblad race before he turns 18, which he’ll celebrate next August 8th. But it is also explained by the talent of the Briton, who has quickly climbed the ranks.

An express ascent

After a single season in F3, where he held his ground against his teammates at Prema, Gabriele Minì and Dino Beganovic, both of whom were more experienced, Lindblad joined Campos in F2 this year. After six rounds, he is in third place in the championship, just eight points behind leader Alex Dunne. He also comes off an excellent weekend in Spain, with his first pole position in the category, converted into victory during the main race.

This outing at Silverstone thus marks a new step for this driver of Swedish and Indian origin. This week, he has already been able to test a Formula 1 car at Imola, behind the wheel of the 2023 Racing Bulls AT04, as part of the TPC (testing of previous cars). On the Emilia-Romagna track, he completed laps alongside another Red Bull junior, Ayumu Iwasa. Despite two spins at the Variante Alta, Red Bull was convinced by his performance.

« He spent half a day in the car in Italy on Monday to prepare for it. And he will also be in the car for Friday’s practice sessions at Silverstone. He stands out for his mental strength and self-confidence », Helmut Marko told the Austrian media outlet Kleine Zeitung.

Lindblad, replacement for Verstappen in case of suspension?

The arrival of Lindblad offers Red Bull a serious alternative in case one of its four main drivers (Red Bull or Racing Bulls) becomes unavailable. Until now, only Ayumu Iwasa served as a reserve driver. However, the Japanese driver is committed this season to Super Formula, making him unavailable on certain dates. And the timing is particularly well chosen. Max Verstappen is only one point away from a race suspension (three points after Austria), which concerns Red Bull.

“We are preparing in case something really happens to Max Verstappen regarding his penalty points,” acknowledged Marko. “We currently have two replacement drivers: Lindblad and Ayumu Iwasa, whose F1 commitments overlap with his races in Japan. For certain races, we even made an agreement with another team, and a replacement has even been planned for three teams. It’s not so simple to find someone in good condition. That’s why Lindblad is now in the car.”

A busy weekend at home is in store for Arvid Lindblad, who will have to juggle between Formula 1 and Formula 2. But the young Briton knows Silverstone well. Last year, in F3, he accomplished the feat of winning both races of the weekend. Next Friday, at home, he will undoubtedly be the driver to watch.