
have reportedly decided on their plan to replace Max Verstappen in the event the reigning world champion is handed a suspension. Verstappen was punished for his involvement in an incident with Mercedes' George Russell at Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.
Verstappen, who was already furious with his garage following a late decision to change him onto a set of hard tyres, had been asked by team principal Christian Horner to give up a spot to Russell following an earlier incident. But as Russell was accelerating to overtake the four-time Drivers' Championship winner, Verstappen himself sped up and rammed into tge Brit's car.
To the dismay of some, including Sky Sports pundit Nico Rosberg, it didn't result in a black flag for the Red Bull driver. However, Verstappen was given three penalty points, .
Should that scenario play out, it appears Red Bull have already taken steps to ensure his replacement is able to step in, with De Telegraaf reporting the Milton Keynes-based constructor have applied to the FIA for an exception regarding a superlicense for teenage sensation Arvid Lindblad.
The 17-year-old, who was born in London, has been impressing on the Formula Two circuit and would be nominated the replacement for Verstappen in the event of a possible suspension. It's claimed Red Bull applied for the exception prior to Sunday's race in Barcelona and haven't yet received a response.
Superlicences are required in order for drivers to compete in Formula One, with a minimum age of 18 often required to obtain one. That rule can be waived if there is a 17-year-old who has "demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity" behind the wheel in another FIA-approved championship.
The tweak came last year as Kimi Antonelli, aged 17 at the time, was being tipped to compete in a practice session for Mercedes. Commenting on the decision in June 2024, Toto Wolff said: "The president of the FIA always had the ability and discretion of letting a driver drive, if you believe that the performance was good enough.
"I think the change of regulations isn't [about] Antonelli, it is generally to make sure that drivers with the right pedigree, CVs, success and maturity are able to race in F1, rather than a birth date. I think that was the right decision."
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