Who is Arvid Lindblad? Red Bull junior joining Racing Bulls for F1 2026

Arvid Lindblad is the only rookie driver in Formula 1 this season, joining Racing Bulls for 2026 on a grid full of drivers who have at least one season’s experience in the series.

The 18-year-old Briton will become the fourth youngest driver in F1 history when he lines up for the start at the Australian Grand Prix in March;  the latest talent to rise through Red Bull’s junior programme.

Lindblad’s promotion follows his recent superlicence approval from the FIA, which allowed him to take part in Formula 1 race weekends despite being under the usual minimum age of 18.

Last year he made his F1 debut in FP1 at Silverstone, driving Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull in front of his home crowd.

Since joining Red Bull’s junior programme in 2022, Lindblad has enjoyed a meteoric rise. He made his single-seater debut in Italian F4 with Van Amersfoort Racing, then moved to Prema for 2023, finishing third in Italian F4 and fourth in Euro 4, while also winning the Macau F4 race.

A breakthrough season in 2024 saw Lindblad step up to Formula 3, where he became the youngest feature race winner in the series’ history and achieved a historic double win at Silverstone – the first ever in F3. He finished the year as the highest-scoring rookie and fourth overall.

Lindblad sits seventh in the F2 standings

In 2025, Lindblad moved to Formula 2 with Campos Racing. He quickly established himself as a frontrunner, becoming the youngest race winner and pole-sitter in F2 history, claiming victories in Jeddah and Spain, and finishing sixth the championship standings.

Red Bull’s decision to promote Lindblad came after challenges with its F1 driver line-up last season.

Liam Lawson’s brief stint in the main team, coupled with Tsunoda’s struggles, left Red Bull looking for its next star.

Why did Arvid Lindblad got a superlicence early?

Rules set out by racing’s governing body, the FIA, stipulate that drivers must be at least 18 years of age to have a superlicence, which allows them to race in Formula 1.

However, Lindblad was awarded his superlicence last June, a few months before his 18th birthday in August 2025 after Red Bull applied for an exemption.

Lindblad already had the 40 points required (earned through high championship finishes), and the licence enabled him to take part in the Silverstone practice session. He would also have been able to replace a regular F1 driver if needed. At the time, world champion Max Verstappen‘s penalty for his clash with George Russell in the Spanish Grand Prix brought him close to a race ban.

According to the FIA, Lindblad “has recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition” and the governing body therefore approved Red Bull’s request with a special dispensation.

The road to the F1 superlicence

Lindblad became a full member of the Red Bull Junior Team in 2022 after making his single-seater debut in the Italian F4 Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing.

Having moved to Prema for 2023, he finished third in Italian F4 and fourth in the Euro 4 Championship, also winning the Macau F4 race.

In 2024, Lindblad had a breakthrough season as he made the jump to Formula 3, also with Prema.

He won the season-opening sprint race in Bahrain and became the youngest feature race winner in F3 history in Barcelona later that year.

He then achieved a historic double win at Silverstone, the first in F3 history, and finished the season as the highest-scoring rookie and fourth overall.

Lindblad moved up to Formula 2 for 2025, and he has been a consistent frontrunner with Campos Racing.

He became the youngest race winner and youngest pole-sitter in F2 history, winning races in Jeddah and Spain.