The Red Bull junior team has produced several talented drivers on the Formula 1 grid, headlined by four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly. With the influx of talent, being a part of the team comes with a cutthroat level of competition.
Red Bull habitually replace their drivers rather quickly if they do not see results, with Yuki Tsunoda most recently replacing Liam Lawson at the main team after just two races. Lawson was viewed as a prime candidate for Red Bull’s long-term future, and now his seat at RB may not be safe either.
Arvid Lindblad has been consistently rising through the ranks and has taken Formula 2 by storm this season, despite being just 17 years old. The British-Swedish driver made history at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by winning the sprint race, becoming the youngest driver ever to win a Formula 2 race.
History does not make Lindblad a frontrunner for promotion
While Lindblad has been viewed as the second coming of Max Verstappen, his impressive start does not warrant him being labeled as the next candidate to drive for RB in 2026.
Red Bull have another junior driver who is off to a very impressive start this season. Pepe Marti currently sits P2 in the championship and is hoping to close the gap to Richard Verschoor in the upcoming rounds.
Given the fact that both drivers are with Campos Racing this season, it is fair to say that the Spanish driver is outperforming his teammate in equal machinery. Whether that continues moving forward is something to keep an eye on.
However, Lindblad is believed to be more talented, which is the reasoning of some who want the 17-year-old in Formula 1 next season. Despite the talent, it must be managed and developed well. Short stints of brilliance are not a useful mode of analysis for Red Bull, especially given the drop-off from Lawson.
At this point, Lindblad might have more talent than Marti, but the Spaniard is more prepared to enter Formula 1 if he were to be called upon. But that could easily change, and there is a new level of precedent after Kimi Antonelli was promoted directly to Mercedes after one year of Formula 2. In the end, the performance of Lawson and Isack Hadjar will be a major determining factor in whether any Red Bull junior drivers get promoted for 2026.