Arvid Lindblad has revealed that he would like to pursue rallying after his Formula 1 career, having been left deeply impressed by his first experience in a World Rally Championship car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Racing Bulls rookie admitted that the high-speed demonstration took him beyond his usual comfort zone and gave him a new appreciation of the skills required in rallying.
The British driver first experienced the M-Sport Ford rally car from the passenger seat alongside Jon Armstrong before being given the opportunity to get behind the wheel himself. Although Formula 1 drivers are accustomed to extreme speed, the combination of narrow roads, nearby trees and rapid changes of direction offered Lindblad a completely different challenge.
Arvid Lindblad experiences a rally car for the first time
During the latest edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Arvid Lindblad experienced the emotion of acting as co-driver to Jon Armstrong, who represents M-Sport Ford in the WRC. The British driver subsequently climbed behind the wheel of the same car and described the experience as unlike anything he had previously encountered.
“It’s the first time I’ve done anything like that, and it was incredible. In Formula 1 we drive pretty fast, and I wouldn’t say I was scared, but I was definitely outside my comfort zone and very surprised. It was a fantastic experience, very different, and I really enjoyed it,” Arvid Lindblad said.
Arvid Lindblad considers rallying after Formula 1
Now contesting his first year in Formula 1 as the only rookie on the grid this season, the 18-year-old is already thinking about the possibilities that could await him once his career in the championship comes to an end. His progress can also be followed through the latest Formula 1 drivers’ standings.
Arvid Lindblad has not ruled out attempting a move into rallying once his current plans are complete. His interest in the discipline has grown recently, while the Goodwood experience allowed him to understand more clearly just how demanding a modern rally car can be.
“Rallying is something I’m learning more and more about and, to be honest, I’ve started to appreciate it more recently. It’s something I’d like to pursue one day, once my current projects are finished,” the Racing Bulls driver explained.
“Now that I’ve had a first little taste, I appreciate a little more what these guys do, because the cameras and onboard footage don’t really show it. It’s incredible, it’s so fast and you are so close to the trees; it’s lightning quick, and what these drivers do is really impressive.”
Why moving from Formula 1 to rallying is so difficult
The considerable differences between the two disciplines have often made it difficult for Formula 1 drivers to adapt to rally championships or establish themselves at the highest level, regardless of the success they previously achieved in Grand Prix racing.
The most famous example is Kimi Räikkönen. The Finn won the Formula 1 World Championship in 2007 but encountered difficulties during the three-year spell he spent in the WRC between 2009 and 2010, having decided to leave Formula 1 before eventually returning.
Nicknamed “Iceman”, Kimi Räikkönen achieved his best rally result with fifth place at the Rally of Turkey and won only one special stage, which came in Germany.
Before Kimi Räikkönen, fellow Finns Mika Salo and Mika Häkkinen also competed in the Arctic Lapland Rally. Mika Salo, who replaced Michael Schumacher at Ferrari in 1999, came close to victory in the event in 2006.
Earlier still, Alex Caffi became the only Italian driver to compete first in Formula 1 and later in rallying. English drivers Martin Brundle and Derek Warwick made the same transition, while Jim Clark remains the only reigning Formula 1 world champion to have competed in a World Rally Championship event, doing so in 1966.
Robert Kubica found success in WRC-2
Among the drivers who have attempted both disciplines more recently, Robert Kubica appeared to adapt particularly well to the contrasting demands of Formula 1 and the WRC.
After claiming one Formula 1 victory, the Polish driver suffered a serious rally accident in 2011 that forced him to put his racing career on hold. Once he had recovered, Robert Kubica returned to competition in 2013 and won the WRC-2 championship that year.
Robert Kubica subsequently continued his career in circuit racing and more recently won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ferrari, adding one of endurance racing’s most prestigious victories to his varied motorsport record.
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