Does Red Bull already have the perfect Max Verstappen replacement?

Arvid Lindblad has barely turned 19, yet he already finds himself at the centre of one of Formula 1's most tantalising succession debates. 

Should Max Verstappen opt to leave Red Bull at the end of the season, having reportedly held performance-related exit clauses in his contract through to 2028, the British-Swedish teenager's name is firmly in the conversation.

It is easy to see why. Lindblad's rise through the junior formulae was nothing short of meteoric. He became the youngest race winner in both Formula 3 and Formula 2 history, secured the Formula Regional Oceania title, and earned a promotion to Racing Bulls for 2026 after Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko informed him of the decision during the penultimate round of his rookie F2 campaign in Qatar. 

"We are not looking for a new Max, we are looking for a new champion and the next one which looks really promising is Arvid Lindblad," Marko said after promoting the youngster.

And the 19-year-old has delivered. As the only rookie on the 2026 grid, Lindblad sits 11th in the standings on 23 points after 11 grands prix, boasting seven top-10 finishes and zero retirements.

His six-race points streak from Monaco through Hungary underlines a maturity beyond his years, with P7 finishes at both Monaco and Silverstone standing out. 

Pairing him with Isack Hadjar, however, would leave Red Bull with two young, unproven drivers at the sharp end of the grid, a gamble even for the most aggressive of outfits. Verstappen staying with Red Bull would hand Lindblad more time to develop. 

Even if Verstappen does leave, there is no guarantee Lindblad would be chosen as his successor, despite being such a promising young talent in the same way the Dutchman was.

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