Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies praised the job junior driver Arvid Lindblad did in his practice showing in Mexico City, acknowledging “he has impressed us” within the team.
The teenager is being linked with a step up to Formula 1 next season, most likely with Red Bull sister outfit Racing Bulls, having performed well on his rise up the ladder so far.
Red Bull: Arvid Lindblad ‘didn’t put a foot wrong’ in latest F1 outing
The Briton received a rare Super Licence exemption from the FIA ahead of the British Grand Prix in July, allowing the Red Bull junior to take part in his first FP1 session a month before his 18th birthday.
Lindblad was back behind the wheel of a Red Bull in Mexico City, taking on Max Verstappen’s cockpit for the first practice hour as he gained valuable Formula 1 experience.
With two race wins and two further podiums in Formula 2 this season, the teenager has been touted as a potential Formula 1 driver next season, with three seats within the Red Bull stable as yet uncontracted for 2026.
Given the pressure of a Formula 1 practice session compared to private testing, the Red Bull team principal spoke highly of how Lindblad handled himself, and confirmed further running for him later this season in the meantime.
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“I think he did a great job,” Mekies told PlanetF1.com and others of Lindblad’s session.
“It’s so difficult to step up in FP1, so difficult. It’s very different to test days, you don’t have many tyres, you don’t have many laps, and he did just very, very good jobs.
“You have seen all the timesheets by yourself, but he was very calm, gave all the right feedback, didn’t put a foot wrong, didn’t break the car. So honestly, he has impressed us in that FP1, no question about that.
“We look forward for the next time in the car, towards the end of the year.”
Lindblad still has two rounds remaining in Formula 2 this season, on the F1 support schedule in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, currently sitting seventh in a closely-contested championship.
When it comes to what is happening next season, however, Mekies would not be drawn on a timeline, though has previously acknowledged futures would be decided before the end of the year.
With several candidates in the frame for seats, not least the drivers currently occupying their drives, Mekies is taking his time over what comes next.
“The decision, as we said, as much as we accept that everyone would like us to decide this, we are not in a rush,” said the Red Bull team principal.
“We’ll take all the time we need, [and] give these guys as many chances as they can have to demonstrate on track who are the best.”
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Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock
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