Lindblad to make FP1 debut at F1 British GP, says Marko

Arvid Lindblad is set to take part in Friday practice at Silverstone’s British Grand Prix, Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has confirmed.

The 17-year-old Red Bull talent, who contests F2 with Campos, is being readied to make his grand prix weekend debut next month at Silverstone after acquiring an FIA superlicence and conducting a first fully-fledged test with Racing Bulls at Imola this week.

Briton Lindblad, who is of Swedish and Indian descent, took the wheel of Racing Bulls’ 2023 AT04 on Monday, splitting TPC [Testing of Previous Cars] duties with fellow Red Bull junior Ayumu Iwasa at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix venue.

It is expected he will take part in Silverstone with the same squad, with the British Grand Prix weekend happening on 4-6 July.

“He spent half a day in the car in Italy on Monday to prepare him,” Red Bull advisor Marko told Austrian outlet Kleine Zeitung.

“And he will also be in the car for Friday practice at Silverstone. He is characterised by his mental strength and self-confidence.”

Until now, Iwasa was the only in-house reserve driver for both Red Bull teams should anything happen to one of its four drivers, but as the Japanese racer is also competing in Super Formula Red Bull wanted to bolster its reserve ranks.

“We are preparing ourselves in case something really happens with Max Verstappen in terms of his penalty points,” Marko explained, as the world champion is just one point away from a race ban.

“We currently have two replacement drivers: Lindblad and Ayumu Iwasa, whose Formula 1 commitments overlap with his commitments in Japan.

“For some races we even had a deal with another team, and once a substitute driver was even scheduled for three teams.

“It is not so easy to find someone who is in good shape. And that’s why Lindblad is now in the car.”