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Max Verstappen is one penalty point away from being handed a one-race suspension by the FIA and Red Bull have decided to apply for a superlicense for their young star
Red Bull could hand a British teenager the chance of a lifetime in Formula 1 if Max Verstappen is banned for a race. Verstappen is walking a disciplinary tightrope after colliding with George Russell in Barcelona last Sunday and knows he will be suspended by the FIA if he makes another mistake.
The Dutchman has accrued 11 penalty points on his licence after picking up three points for ramming into Russell in a controversial incident at the Spanish Grand Prix. He knows that if he picks up another penalty point in the next two races then he would be slapped with an automatic one-race ban.
Red Bull are confident that their star driver can steer clear of more trouble at the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix, but have a contingency plan ready anyway. As Mirror F1 have reported, that does not include former drivers such as Daniel Ricciardo or Sergio Perez.
In the event that Verstappen has to sit out a race, it would likely be Liam Lawson, or Isack Hadjar who would step up from sister team Racing Bulls to fill his seat. However, there is another exciting possibility being considered inside Red Bull HQ.
READ MORE: British F1 driver apologises to Max Verstappen over Spanish GP controversyREAD MORE: Red Bull plan if Max Verstappen gets F1 ban as truth of Daniel Ricciardo theory emerges
The team have applied to the FIA for an exception regarding a superlicense for teenage sensation Arvid Lindblad. The 17-year-old, who was born in London, has caught the eye while competing in F2, but would need special dispensation from the FIA to receive his superlicence before turning 18 in order to compete in F1.
It is understood that Red Bull have contacted the FIA simply to broaden their options in the event that Verstappen falls foul of the rules in the upcoming races. But it is still an exciting prospect for Lindblad, who is highly regarded by his team.
He isn’t the first hotshot driver who has been tipped for greatness: last year Kimi Antonelli, who was also 17 at the time, was being tipped to compete in a practice session for Mercedes. Young drivers have to have “demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity” behind the wheel in another FIA-approved championship, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explaining the process back then.
“The president of the FIA always had the ability and discretion of letting a driver drive, if you believe that the performance was good enough,” he said.
“I think the change of regulations isn’t [about] Antonelli, it is generally to make sure that drivers with the right pedigree, CVs, success and maturity are able to race in F1, rather than a birth date. I think that was the right decision.”
Lindblad might be the most exciting option to replace Verstappen for one race, but it is Hadjar who was recently showered with praise by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. “I think he’s been the most outstanding of the rookies,” he said.
“The expectation on him wasn’t as high as he’s delivered so far. He’s exceeded all our expectations, he’s been fast, he’s been consistent. He’s constantly delivered, and I think it’s been a great start to his Formula 1 career. He just needs to keep that momentum running. His future, if he keeps performing as he is, is very bright.”
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