Red Bull Junior Arvid Lindblad Granted F1 Super Licence Early by FIA

A significant step towards a potential Formula 1 future has been taken by British driver Arvid Lindblad, a highly-rated junior within the Red Bull programme. The 17-year-old has been granted an F1 Super Licence by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, a key requirement for competing in the sport's top tier. The decision is notable as it grants Lindblad the necessary racing credential before he reaches the standard minimum age of 18. While the traditional path to a Super Licence involves accumulating a set number of points over three years from strong performances in feeder series, along with the age requirement, a rule revision introduced last year allows for a special dispensation. Under the updated regulations, a 17-year-old can be granted a Super Licence if they are deemed by the governing body to have "recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition." It was under this specific provision that Lindblad's case was reviewed and approved. Lindblad's recent record in junior categories appears to have satisfied this criterion. He is currently competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, the direct step below Formula 1, where he is performing strongly. In his rookie F2 season, he currently sits third in the championship standings and has already secured two victories. Prior to his F2 campaign, Lindblad also achieved success in other series. At the start of 2025, he won the Formula Regional Oceania Championship, a result that would have provided sufficient Super Licence points once he turned 18. In 2024, he finished fourth in his sole season in the FIA Formula 3 Championship. The request for the early Super Licence came from Red Bull. Following consideration of the information supporting the application, the World Motor Sport Council confirmed during their meeting in Macau on June 10 that they found Lindblad met the standard of demonstrating outstanding ability and maturity required for the exemption. While the Super Licence itself does not guarantee a seat in Formula 1, obtaining it at this stage, particularly with an age exemption, underscores Lindblad's rapid progression and positions him as one of the leading young talents within the Red Bull driver pool ready for potential F1 opportunities in the future.