Only a few more days and Arvid Lindblad can officially start his first race weekend in Formula 1. The British-Swedish driver is the only rookie on the grid this season, and therefore happily made use of the three test weeks to become familiar with the brand-new F1 cars as quickly as possible. For Lindblad, it is still a bit surreal that his F1 debut this upcoming Grand Prix weekend is actually becoming a reality: ‘I have been dreaming of this since my childhood’.
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Arvid Lindblad is the only rookie on the grid this year. The British-Swedish driver won four races in Formula 2 last year, making enough of an impression to be promoted to the premier class. Lindblad has already completed his first laps in the 2026 Racing Bulls car in Barcelona and Bahrain, and is now especially looking forward to making his debut in Australia.
“During the winter break, I trained hard to be in top shape,” Lindblad says in his first preview for Racing Bulls. “It was also very important this year to have three different test weeks, so I tried to get as much as possible out of every lap to learn something new and become more familiar with the car. The 2026 cars are clearly very different. I think the power unit is probably the biggest change and that driver feedback has a greater influence than before.”
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‘Dreaming of F1 debut since my childhood’
Prior to the first race week of the year, Lindblad was still in India, where he participated in the Red Bull Moto Jam event. Although the driver enjoyed this opportunity to ‘celebrate his Indian roots’, the focus is now fully on the Australian GP. Racing Bulls, like Cadillac, is also bringing upgrades immediately. “Albert Park feels like you’re driving on a street circuit because the walls are so close. I’ve raced here in F3 and F2 and that was exciting, so now I can’t wait to drive an F1 car on this iconic circuit,” Lindblad looks ahead. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment since my childhood and I’ve worked towards it my whole life, so the fact that it’s now becoming a reality is very special. I can’t wait to get started.”
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Read everything about the Australian GP here
