(Motorsport-Total.com) – The path through the junior categories flew by for Arvid Lindblad. After just one year each in Formula 3 and Formula 2, he made the direct step into Formula 1 – a rapid rise that is often associated with the risk of losing one’s footing in the paddock.
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The question was whether Lindblad could handle the rapid jump so well, after all, he had not finished in the top 3 in the two major junior categories. But after the first half year, it can be said that the Brit has passed the test.
“It was fun. I really enjoyed it. Every time I get in the car, I learn more, become more familiar and confident,” Lindblad sums up after the first months. “This is something I have always dreamed of. And it was definitely better than I could have expected.”
His debut in Australia was impressive: The 18-year-old immediately made it into Q3 and scored his first points in the race as eighth, while teammate Liam Lawson had to suffer setbacks after a problem at the start.
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That the debut seemed almost effortless from the outside, Lindblad mainly attributes to his mental approach. Instead of being guided by big promises, he relied on a step-by-step approach from the start.
“I wouldn’t say I surprised myself because I didn’t approach it with very high expectations. I was just very focused on myself and took it one weekend at a time,” explains the rookie. Major setbacks have so far been absent, which visibly eased the entry.
Although there was a dry spell of four races without points after Australia, Lindblad’s season really picked up pace with Monaco. In the last six races, he always finished in the top 10, which is also due to the strength of the Racing Bulls VCARB 03, which leads the midfield behind the top teams.
The myth of the advantage rookie
In the expert world, there is often speculation whether fundamental regulation changes or new engine generations could be an advantage for Formula 1 newcomers. The theory: If even the veterans have to start from scratch, the experience advantage levels out. Lindblad rejects this thesis. The routine of established drivers remains an invaluable asset.
“With almost every engine we’ve driven so far, there wasn’t really a secret. You step on the gas and it drives, while this one is the first that is different,” Lindblad compares the current power units with the junior categories.
He does not see this as an advantage for himself at all: “With these engines, we all had to start completely from scratch. Whether it’s me or Lewis [Hamilton], who has been doing this for 20 years: For all of us, these are completely new skills. So it’s a level playing field for everyone, yes. But the guy with ten years of experience still has a lot more experience.”
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Interestingly, Lindblad looks rather concerned about the coming generations. Since the understanding of today’s cars is extremely specific, he believes there will be a higher entry barrier for future debutants: “Because of these cars, it will actually be a disadvantage for people entering in the next two years. For myself, it made no difference this year.”
Rapid integration into a new world
A decisive factor for Lindblad’s strong debut season lies beyond telemetry data: the lightning-fast integration into the team structure. The transition from small junior teams to a Formula 1 team with several hundred people went smoothly.
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“Honestly, it’s probably the team where I feel most at home so far,” Lindblad raves. “I was a few years at Prema in F3 and F4, but the reality is that I rose so quickly that I was at a new place almost every year.”
“But the team here is a big family. I get along great with the engineers and mechanics, there is a really good atmosphere,” he says. He even takes language barriers with humor: Due to his time in Italian junior teams, he masters at least “a bit of Italian – especially the swear words, that’s usually what you learn first.”
No linear path to success
Despite all the praise, the youngster remains realistic. He knows that a career in the top class rarely proceeds without setbacks. For the second half of the season, he firmly expects more difficult phases to come.
“I am very aware that the path to success is not just linear. There are ups and downs,” emphasizes Lindblad. He cannot pinpoint a single main problem he needs to work on in the remaining races: “This year, so much has been new that I have tried to improve on many levels.”
| Grand Prix | Lawson (Q) | Lindblad (Q) | Lawson (R) | Lindblad (R) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5 | 8 | 3 | |
| Australia | 8. | 9. (+1.253) | 13. (+45.4) | 8. |
| China | 14. | 15. (+0.019) | 7. | 12. (+1 lap) |
| Japan | 14. (+0.386) | 10. | 9. | 14. (+9.7) |
| Miami | 11. | 16. (+0.538) | Retirement | 14. |
| Canada | 12. (+0.349) | 9. | 7. | Did not start |
| Monaco | 10. | 15. (+0.777) | 6. | 7. (+2.5) |
| Barcelona | 8. | 11. (+0.255) | 8. | 9. (+5.8) |
| Austria | 9. | 10. (+0.052) | 9. | 10. (+3.7) |
| Great Britain | 10. (+0.411) | 9. | 6. | 7. (+0.2) |
| Belgium | 11. (+0.491) | 8. | 12. (+27.1) | 9. |
| Hungary | 11. (+0.405) | 9. | 8. | 10. (+23.0) |
“The biggest thing at the start was probably the engines and understanding different techniques to get the maximum out of them. But the reality is: I am still a rookie. There are many things I can improve.”
Lindblad currently sits eleventh in the drivers’ standings with 23 points. Teammate Liam Lawson has already collected 43 points and is ninth.
The internal team qualifying duel is quite balanced at 6:5 in favor of Lawson, but Lindblad still needs to improve in races: Since the season opener in Melbourne, he has only seen the checkered flag once ahead of the New Zealander.
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