Arvid Lindblad got the chance to get behind the wheel of a real Ford rally car during the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. The young Brit, who made his Formula 1 debut this season at the age of 18, was immediately sold. Although he first wants to continue focusing on his current goals in the premier class, he hopes to be able to devote more time to rallying in the future.
Lindblad first rode along with Jon Armstrong, who competes for the M-Sport Ford team in the WRC. Not long after, he got the chance to tear over the unpaved roads himself. He confirmed to the official Red Bull channels that he wants to do much more rally driving in the future. “It was the first time I did something like this,” he responded. “It was incredible. In Formula 1 we drive quite fast, so I wouldn’t say I was scared, but I definitely had to step out of my comfort zone.”
F1 drivers in rallying
“The whole experience surprised me,” Lindblad admitted. “It was fantastic, very different from what I’m used to, and I really enjoyed it.” Moreover, he hinted at more excursions into rallying, of course when his busy F1 career allows it. “Rally is something I’m learning more and more about and honestly I’ve come to appreciate it more and more lately. It’s something I want to dedicate myself to someday, once my current projects are completed.”
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“Now that I’ve had a taste of it, I appreciate even more what these guys do,” he continued. “Images from inside the car don’t do justice to what you experience as a driver. It’s incredible: it goes so fast and you’re so close to the trees. What these drivers do is really impressive.”
Several F1 drivers have already tried their hand at rallying. For example, former champion Kimi Räikkönen competed in the WRC for three years before returning to the premier class in 2012. Countrymen Mika Salo and Mika Häkkinen took part in the Arctic Lapland Rally and Alex Caffi, Martin Brundle, and Derek Warwick have also driven various rallies. Robert Kubica is known alongside his Formula 1 career for his severe WRC crash in 2011. Finally, Jos Verstappen has also devoted himself to rallying; he has achieved great success in the Belgian rally circuit in recent years.
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