FIA Delivers Verdict on Red Bull Star Arvid Lindblad After Technical Controversy at Mexican GP
Red Bull junior driver Arvid Lindblad has escaped a race penalty but received an official warning from the FIA stewards following an incident during Friday’s Free Practice 1 (FP1) session at the Mexican Grand Prix. The 17-year-old, who was filling in for Max Verstappen, was accused of impeding McLaren’s stand-in driver Pato O’Ward amid a session riddled with technical disruptions.
Lindblad, one of the most promising young talents from Red Bull’s driver academy, was summoned to the stewards shortly after FP1 ended to explain his side of the story. The FIA reviewed footage and telemetry before issuing their decision: a formal warning, but no time or grid penalty. The verdict stated that while Lindblad’s actions were “objectively, potentially dangerous,” the stewards acknowledged that he appeared to have been misled by faulty information from his team during a period of GPS system failure that affected all teams.
In their official statement, the stewards wrote:
> “Notwithstanding, the actions of LIN constituted unnecessary impeding and were, objectively, potentially dangerous. However, as the incident occurred during free practice and had no sporting consequences, the stewards decided to issue a warning to the driver and the team.”
Technical Glitches Plague FP1
The first practice session in Mexico was far from smooth. A major GPS outage disrupted communications between teams and race control, making it difficult for drivers to be properly warned about oncoming traffic. Several teams reported intermittent losses of car positioning data, which is crucial for managing safe distances on track.
Lindblad, who was only making his second official appearance in an F1 session, found himself in a tricky situation when O’Ward, driving in place of Lando Norris, approached him at high speed. Without accurate GPS updates, Red Bull’s engineers reportedly gave Lindblad the wrong cues, leading to the brief obstruction that triggered the investigation.
Mekies Defends Lindblad and Confirms GPS Failure
After the session, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies spoke to Sky Sports F1, shedding light on the technical chaos that unfolded. He confirmed that all teams had experienced GPS disruptions during the session.
> “All the teams lost GPS in the session, so it was difficult with traffic,” Mekies explained. “We took the decision to leave Arvid on low-ish fuel to avoid the complication of running both high and low fuel levels. He did a very good job considering the circums
Mekies went on to praise Lindblad’s maturity and composure during a demanding session, highlighting that the rookie had managed to adapt quickly despite the confusion.
Impressive Performance Despite Chaos
Despite the off-track drama, Lindblad’s performance was exceptional. He ended the FP1 session with the sixth-fastest lap time, an outstanding result considering the competitive field and his lack of F1 experience. Among the nine rookie drivers who participated in the session, Lindblad stood out as the top performer, even clocking a faster lap than Yuki Tsunoda, his more experienced team-mate from Red Bull’s sister team, RB.
The result gave Lindblad a significant confidence boost, especially as the teenager continues to balance his commitments in Formula 2 with his Red Bull junior duties. The strong display of pace, composure, and technical feedback under pressure further underlined why the Milton Keynes-based team views him as one of their most promising prospects.
For Tsunoda, however, the result added to the pressure he’s been facing in recent weeks, with his future in Formula 1 uncertain amid speculation about Red Bull’s long-term driver lineup.
Conclusion
While the FIA’s decision to issue a warning rather than a penalty spared Lindblad from harsher consequences, the incident highlighted the challenges rookies face when stepping into a high-stakes environment like Formula 1. With complex technology and real-time communication essential to safety, the GPS system failure served as a reminder of how even small glitches can create potentially dangerous situations on track.
In the end, Lindblad walked away from Mexico with valuable experience, a cautionary note from the stewards, and the respect of the paddock for his raw pace and professionalism. As the Red Bull prodigy continues to develop, this episode will likely serve as an important learning curve in his journey toward a full-time F1 seat.
