Red Bull junior driver Arvid Lindblad has acknowledged that recent weeks have posed considerable challenges, as he contends with yet another penalty issued by the FIA during the Hungarian Grand Prix. His aspirations of clinching the coveted Formula 2 title—a championship previously secured by elite drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc—have been repeatedly undermined by a succession of setbacks. Heading into the 2025 summer hiatus, Lindblad lags 62 points behind championship frontrunner Leonardo Fornaroli, having only managed to score points in two races since early June’s Spanish Grand Prix weekend.
Lindblad’s string of misfortunes began with a disqualification from the feature race at last month’s Belgian Grand Prix, where all four of his tyres were found to be below the minimum pressure mandated by Pirelli. This latest penalty, handed down in Hungary, further compounded his difficulties. Stewards determined that Lindblad gained a competitive edge by leaving the track at Turn 3 while duelling with ART’s Victor Martins during Saturday’s sprint race. The infraction earned him a five-second post-race penalty, demoting him from an impressive fourth-place finish to a disappointing tenth.
In a candid social media post, Lindblad confessed that the missed opportunity to win in Hungary was particularly painful. Reflecting on the loss, he admitted that the victory was within reach but ultimately slipped through his grasp. Despite Sunday’s less-than-optimal race pace, he highlighted his resilience, noting his determination to fight back and defend tenaciously. The upcoming summer break, he stated, offers a timely opportunity to mentally regroup and reorient himself ahead of the final four rounds of the campaign in Italy, Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
Although the FIA granted Lindblad a rare exemption in June to obtain a Super Licence—potentially enabling him to race in Formula 1 before turning 18—that point will soon be irrelevant, as he celebrates his 18th birthday on August 8. Once the F1 season resumes later this month at the Dutch Grand Prix, the exemption will no longer be necessary. Lindblad’s debut in an official F1 race weekend occurred at the British Grand Prix, where he piloted Yuki Tsunoda’s RB21 during FP1, finishing 14th—just half a second adrift of Max Verstappen’s benchmark.
Christian Horner, then still Red Bull’s team principal, commended Lindblad’s maturity and composure after his maiden F1 session. He lauded the teenager’s performance, noting the significance of handling such a challenging circuit at Silverstone with aplomb at only 17 years of age. Horner praised Lindblad’s clear and articulate feedback, describing him as a “talented young guy” and a promising prospect within the Red Bull development program. With growing experience and evident talent, Lindblad remains a strong candidate for future Formula 1 contention despite current tribulations.
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