Arvid Lindblad is within the body to be a Purple Bull and RB reserve driver after securing his FIA Tremendous License by profitable the System Regional Oceania Championship.
The 17-year-old British-Swedish driver has been rising rapidly by the ranks and claimed 4 victories in his maiden System 3 season final 12 months, ending fourth within the drivers’ standings. Added to his third-placed end within the 2023 Italian System 4 championship, Lindblad was racing in New Zealand to attempt to safe the ultimate factors required for his Tremendous License, and duly did so by securing the title with two races to spare.
“What an unimaginable journey,” Lindblad stated of his first single-seater title. “Proud to be topped FR Oceania Champion. An enormous shout-out to my group and everybody who’s been a part of this journey. What an incredible few weeks in New Zealand – such a surprising place.”
Lindblad, who has impressed Purple Bull group principal Christian Horner together with his trajectory to this point, is about to step as much as System 2 in 2025 with Campos Racing, the identical group that ran RB rookie Isack Hadjar final season. Though Lindblad doesn’t flip 18 till August, current modifications to the FIA Tremendous License necessities allow 17 12 months olds to be granted the flexibility to race in F1 “in distinctive circumstances”.
Purple Bull has but to substantiate its reserve driver plans after selling Liam Lawson rather than Sergio Perez over the winter, with Hadjar taking Lawson’s place alongside Yuki Tsunoda at RB. Each Lawson and Hadjar had served as reserve drivers final season.
Whereas Lindblad took the FR Oceania title, the highest American driver was Nikita Johnson who completed third total with one victory and 5 additional podiums from the 15 races. The 16-year-old is about to mix his first full season within the GB3 Championship this 12 months with 4 Indy NXT races for HMD Motorsports.
