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F1’s governing body the FIA has approved Red Bull’s request to grant a superlicence to their junior driver Arvid Lindblad.
It means Lindblad, who is 17, can take part in F1 sessions and theoretically make his grand prix debut before he turns 18 on 8 August this year.
Red Bull used the same clause in the FIA’s International Sporting Code as Mercedes did with their own protege Kimi Antonelli last season.
The exemption request was formally approved at the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council meeting in Macau on Tuesday.
“The FIA has received a request to grant a Super Licence to Arvid Lindblad prior to his 18th birthday,” an FIA statement read.
“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.”
Crash.net understands Red Bull’s request for Lindblad’s exemption predates the precarious penalty situation Max Verstappen now finds himself in.
The four-time world champion is walking a tightrope and is just one penalty point away from triggering a race ban, meaning he must navigate the Canadian and Austrian grands prix without further punishment to avoid a suspension.
Verstappen’s next penalty points will come off his current 12-month total following the Austrian Grand Prix on 30 June.
However, the news does give Red Bull greater flexibility should they be required to replace Verstappen for a race.
Lindblad would be a likely candidate to race for sister team Racing Bulls in the event that either Isack Hadjar or Liam Lawson were promoted to sub-in for the Dutchman.
It also enables Lindblad to carry out a reserve driver role for Red Bull alongside Ayumu Iwasa, as well as taking part in free practice sessions.
Lindblad won his first F2 feature race at the last round in Spain and sits third in the championship, eight points behind Alex Dunne.
Arvid Lindblad named a threat to Yuki Tsunoda
Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert believes Lindblad is “the perfect candidate” to replace Yuki Tsunoda if Red Bull feel another driver shuffle is required.
“You’re always in danger of losing your seat if you’re struggling like Yuki Tsunoda, and how Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon all struggled being teammates with Max Verstappen,” Herbert told YaySweepstakes.
“You get a battering, mentally, when you’re consistently behind your teammate by such a big gap. Tsunoda is definitely in a difficult position. Is there a threat to Tsunoda?
“Well, there is a particular guy who won the feature race in F2 over the same weekend, he’s a Red Bull boy and he’s moved up incredibly fast, that is Arvid Lindblad.
“I know Helmut Marko has a lot of respect for Lindblad, I met him when he was 14 when he was karting. He’s got a very good outlook and mindset on what he wants to do and about getting into F1.
“He’s is a perfect candidate to replace Tsunoda if he continues to struggle. Is there someone out there who could be better than Verstappen? Yes. Could it be Lindblad? Sure, but the real comes once you are in a seat with Max when he is on the other side of the garage.
“That’s where Tsunoda will look over his shoulder because he’s not doing the job he is expected to do. F1 is a very tough mental game.”
