Red Bull driver Arvid Lindblad granted FIA exemption, paving way for F1 debut

Photo by James Sutton – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images

F1’s governing body has granted a dispensation to Red Bull junior driver Arvid Lindblad, paving the way for a potential F1 debut

As the global world motorsport community gathered in Macau for the FIA’s annual conference today, the World Motor Sport Council met to consider several matters and issue numerous decisions.

Among the decisions announced by the WMSC on Tuesday? The approval of a special dispensation to grant Red Bull junior driver Arvid Lindblad a Super License, which paves the way for the 17-year-old driver to participate in Formula 1 before his 18th birthday.

Last year the FIA altered the International Sporting Code to allow drivers to seek a dispensation to participate in F1 prior to their 18th birthday. The adjusted ISC now reads as follows: “The driver must be at least 18 years old at the start of the event of his first F1 competition. At the sole discretion of the FIA, a driver judged to have recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition may be granted a superlicence at the age of 17 years old.”

Lindblad currently drives in Formula 2, where he sits third in the F2 Drivers’ Championship standings. He won his first F2 Feature Race at the Spanish Grand Prix a few weeks ago. Lindblad has already secured the requisite points on his FIA Super License to participate in F1, having won four Formula 3 races as a rookie last year, as well as winning the Formula Regional Oceania series earlier this year.

In their decision, the WMSC stated that 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.”

This is the first such approval under the modified ISC.

As for why Red Bull sought such a dispensation before Lindblad’s 18th birthday, which is in August, two potential reasons come to mind. First, Max Verstappen is one penalty point shy of a one-race suspension, and needs to navigate this week’s Canadian Grand Prix, as well as the Austrian Grand Prix later this month, without incident to avoid a penalty. Lindblad could be viewed as a stopgap replacement either at Red Bull, or at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls with either Liam Lawson or Isack Hadjar moving to Red Bull, in that scenario.

Or, the team could be considering yet another driver switch. The 2025 F1 season began with Lawson driving alongside Verstappen at the senior team while Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda were the two drivers at VCARB. But after Lawson struggled in the first two races a switch was made, dropping Lawson to VCARB and promoting Tsunoda to Red Bull.

However, Tsunoda has yet to deliver solid results, scoring just seven points over seven race weekends. With Hadjar driving well at VCARB, the door could be open to a promotion for Hadjar, and perhaps a move to VCARB for Lindblad.

Yet again, the second seat at Red Bull remains a discussion point.