Lindblad claimed the championship over the Southern Hemisphere summer, which concluded on Sunday with Will Brown winning the New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands.
Six wins from the 15-race competition were enough to secure Lindblad the title over Zack Soutar and Nikita Johnson, a feat worth far more to Lindblad thanks to the FIA Super Licence points that come with it.
Victory in the competition brings with it 18 points that, combined with those earned in Formula 3 last year (15) and in Italian Formula 4 in 2023 (12) sees the teenager surpass the 40-point threshold for an FIA Super Licence.
“It’s not the nicest reasoning to hear why I’ve come here, but it’s the main reason,” Lindblad said on the Rusty’s Garage podcast.
“I was talking to Dr Marko in Abu Dhabi and that’s the main reasonings [in racing in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship], that I have the full licence before the start of the F1 season.”
The only barrier now stopping the 17-year-old Brit from obtaining a Super Licence is his age, drivers must be a minimum of 18, though a dispensation process exists through the FIA.
Set to compete in F2 this season, Lindblad is next in line within Red Bull’s driver development program and is the favourite to replace Yuki Tsunoda at Racing Bulls for 2026.
“It’s a great pleasure and enjoyment to work with Max [Verstappen], but Max won’t drive forever, especially not as long as [Fernando] Alonso or [Lewis] Hamilton are doing,” explained Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko on the Inside Line podcast.
“And the junior team [ambition] is to find new talents and we are not looking for a new Max; we’re looking for a new champion.
“I think the next one which looks really promising is Arvid Lindblad.
“First of all is his pure speed. He proved that in go-karting and in all the junior categories,” he added of the teenager’s qualities.
“He’s very smart and he is honest to himself. When he makes a mistake, he doesn’t look for excuses and he’s looking forward.
“He’s always one category ahead already, that’s also from his physical side.
“As for his mental preparation, when he goes in a new formula, he is one of the few ones who went directly from Formula 4 to F3.
“He has his opinion and he knows how to prepare and he commits to it step by step.
“So I would say it’s a very good combination between mental and driving skills.”
Securing the necessary points for a Super Licence also allows Lindblad to compete in Friday practice sessions this season.
Teams are obliged to run a rookie (a driver with fewer than three F1 starts) in each car on one occasion this year, meaning Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson, and Tsunoda will all be forced to vacate their seats at some point.
New Racing Bulls recruit Isack Hadjar will not as the ‘rookie’ requirement is ticked off by default in his first event.
It is not expected that Lindblad will publicly appear behind the wheel of F1 machinery for sometime as, without a dispensation, the first event at which he could take to the track is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Round 17 of 24.
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