Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko is already thinking about Max Verstappen’s successor (Image: Getty)
has hinted have already found their next future champion to follow in ‘s footsteps when he steps away from Formula One.
Their famed junior driver programme has successfully delivered world champions such as Verstappen and , while , and have gone on to win races after starting out with Toro Rosso.
Marko, 81, played a key role in the promotion of Liam Lawson to driving alongside Verstappen for 2025 after impressing with , and now the veteran Austrian has another youngster in his sights.
Arvid Lindblad, a 17-year-old from Surrey with Swedish and Indian roots through his parents, has firmly behind him after showing promise in the feeder series categories.
He narrowly missed out on the Formula 4 championship in his first season and won four races in his maiden Formula 3 campaign, finishing fourth in the standings. Despite his young age, Lindblad is already being eyed up for a future F1 drive.
“It’s a great pleasure and enjoyment to work with Max, but Max won’t drive forever,” said Marko on the podcast. “Especially not as long as or are doing.
“And the junior team prospect [sic] 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.
“In his first year, or always in Formula 4, even if he didn’t win the championship, the same applies to F3, he could have won the championship, but circumstances and so on, but what is making him outstanding, is his pure speed.
Arvid Lindblad, 17, is regarded as a star for the future by Red Bull (Image: Getty)
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“In one of the Formula 3 races [at Silverstone], he overtook, in one lap, I don’t know, 10 or 14 other drivers. He won the race from being last in these tricky conditions, wet, dry and so on.”
Next year, Lindblad will be racing in Formula 2 with Campos, the team where to after finishing the season as runner-up to Gabriel Bortoleto.
And not before too young, Lindblad could be one of the drivers competing to replace Verstappen if he doesn’t stay in the sport beyond his contract in 2028.
The 27-year-old has already won four Drivers’ Championship titles and will be going all out to secure a fifth before the engine regulations bring about seismic changes in 13 months’ time.
Helmut Marko has unearthed a range of champions and race winners for Red Bull (Image: Getty)
But there is uncertainty about his long-term future and Verstappen hasn’t ruled out leaving after 2025, having committed himself to the team for next season only for now.
Marko has mapped out plans to help Lindblad get his superlicence in the event that Verstappen decides to leave earlier than first thought.
“He will be next year in Formula 2,” Marko added. “He is doing a very good preparation. The test was okay.
“We are doing a special programme for him, sending him to New Zealand in this FRECA [Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine] championship, and the goal is to win it so he gets the necessary points for a Super License. Even so, he will be 18 only in August.”