Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad reflected on his journey to Formula 1 with the help of photographs. He looked back on milestone moments that saw him climb the ladder to F1, from a childhood dream through karting and F3.
Lindblad greeted the interviewer cheerfully in the Racing Bulls hospitality area ahead of their allotted interview time during the first 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain. Lindblad sat out the morning track session while team mate Liam Lawson was driving.
Lindblad was happy to chat before returning to the car for the afternoon segment. It was clear that getting back behind the wheel was never far from his mind, as he suggested they sit where a nearby screen could keep them up to date with the action.
Looking Back at the Early Years
Testing marks the latest step in Lindblad’s preparations for his debut season in Formula 1. The interview focused on the journey that led him to this point, as he prepares to become the fourth-youngest F1 racer in history.
The interviewer arrived armed with pictures charting significant stages from Lindblad’s past. Lindblad humbly asked, “Photos of me?” when told about the plan.
Lindblad posted his own montage of photographs on social media spanning his path to the top before January’s Barcelona Shakedown. The interview started with the first snapshot from that post, showing Lindblad as a small child in a toy car.
The Spark of Passion
Lindblad reflected on where his interest in motorsport was formed at a young age. He explained, “It came from my paternal side of the family. My grandad’s an avid motorsport fan – he’ll watch anything with wheels and an engine, and he passed that passion down to my dad.
“My dad did a little bit of motocross for about a year or so, and unfortunately had to stop after not very long, but that sort of passion was passed down to him and that passed on to me.
“When I was three, my dad got me a motocross bike for the first time – it was a bit too much for my mum, so it didn’t last very long. When I was five I went karting for the first time, and that’s kind of how it all started.”
A Childhood Dream Takes Shape
Lindblad recalled a crucial moment when he was about four years old that planted the seed of a dream. “I remember very well when I was about four, before I’d started karting, I saw my dad sitting on the sofa watching some TV and the F1 was on,” he recollects. “I came and sat down next to him, and I was seeing the cars and I was sort of wondering.
“I asked him, ‘Is it possible for me to get there? How does it work? Could I?’”