10/08/2025 17:30
Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has backed Red Bull junior
Arvid Lindblad to create a major problem, should he be handed a
promotion at the end of the year. Lindblad is viewed as a rising
star within the Red Bull camp, and is known to be liked by its
motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. Mentored by new Formula E world
champion Oliver Rowland, Lindblad has been competing for Campos
Racing this year in his maiden Formula 2 campaign. Already, the
18-year-old has collected two victories in the junior category and
made his F1 first practice debut at the British Grand Prix.
Lindblad replaced Yuki Tsunoda for the opening practice session at
Silverstone, but has also been carrying out significant private
testing with the Red Bull family. Red Bull is preparing Lindblad
in a similar manner to how Mercedes prepared Kimi Antonelli, who
was put through an intense testing programme ahead of making his
full-time debut. The question Montoya raises, is who will Lindblad
replace? In his eyes, Isack Hadjar will be promoted to partner Max
Verstappen for 2026, with Lindblad to partner Liam Lawson in Racing
Bulls. It would mean an exit from the Red Bull family for Tsunoda;
however, Montoya does not believe Lindblad is ready for an F1
promotion yet. "If Lindblad, who I personally think is not ready,
but if Racing Bulls want Lindblad next year, who do you take out?
Yuki or Lawson?" Montoya asked AS Colombia . "They would have to
take out Yuki, you have to put Hadjar in the Red Bull and Lindblad
in the RB. "And especially because if Red Bull does not do well
next year and there are staff changes in Red Bull, the opportunity
of Lindblad entering Formula 1 would get complicated."
