F1 | Lindblad has doubts about 2026: “I don’t know if I’m completely ready”
Lindblad appears to have some doubts about his rookie season in 2026, despite the praise coming from Racing Bulls.
Arvid Lindblad, the only rookie on the 2026 Formula 1 grid, has admitted to having doubts about his debut season in F1. The young driver acknowledged that he is not sure he is “completely ready” to contest his first full campaign, despite the positive feedback and praise coming from Racing Bulls.
The 18-year-old completed his first test session with the Italian-based team on Wednesday, during a private test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He managed to complete a minimum of 42 laps in the car before causing a red flag due to what was believed to be a technical issue on the VCARB 03.
In any case, expectations around the young British driver are very high. A lot is being asked of him, especially considering his age and the rapid rise through the junior categories since joining the Red Bull junior programme back in 2021. This may also explain why Lindblad is not fully convinced that he is 100 percent ready to step into such a demanding and competitive category.
Lindblad’s concerns
“I don’t know. I mean, I’ve got a lot to learn,” Lindblad said when F1 TV asked him whether he had any doubts about making his Formula 1 debut in 2026. “I don’t know if I’m completely ready.”
“It’s not really something I think about that much. I think more about how I can try to prepare myself better. What are the things that can help me learn, to be in the best possible position when we get to Melbourne,” he added, showing a positive and pragmatic approach to his current situation.
“So I’m just focusing on working hard with the team on the simulator and here at the track with the engineers, trying to learn as much as possible, to be a bit of a sponge in that sense. And yeah, then we’ll see.”
In some ways, Arvid Lindblad could be considered fortunate to make his Formula 1 debut in the year that marks the beginning of a new regulatory cycle. This effectively puts everyone on a blank slate, with all teams and drivers required to learn new concepts. Of course, every other driver on the grid has significantly more experience than the 18-year-old, but Lindblad’s margin for improvement remains very large.
Indeed, even if Arvid Lindblad does not yet feel fully ready, Tim Goss – Racing Bulls’ chief technical officer – was quick to praise the young driver for what he described as an already “very professional” approach.
“He’s really calm, very professional: the feedback is really very direct,” Tim Goss said. “For someone so young, it’s really impressive, and his session in the car was simply about getting familiar with this type of single-seater.”
“They are very, very different cars, not only in terms of the overall handling, but also in the way you have to manage the energy. And he was really, really calm and professional.”
“As we were building confidence with the balance of the car, his feedback was really simple and clear, so I’m really, really impressed with him,” Goss concluded.
The contrast between Arvid Lindblad’s self-reflection and the team’s outward confidence suggests a rookie who is grounded and aware of the mountain he has to climb. While the transition from the junior ranks to a full-time F1 seat is never easy, especially during a massive technical shift, Arvid Lindblad’s desire to “be a sponge” may be his greatest asset. With a major technical team backing his development, the focus now turns to Melbourne, where the 18-year-old will finally find out if his preparation has been enough to tackle the pinnacle of motorsport.
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