Debut in FP1 at Silverstone
After Alexander Dunne made headlines in Austria by finishing Free Practice 1 in fourth place with McLaren, just under one tenth of a second behind Oscar Piastri, Red Bull Racing took the opportunity to shine the spotlight on another young talent during the British Grand Prix weekend.
During FP1 at Silverstone, Red Bull gave Arvid Lindblad his first taste of Formula 1 action. Lindblad is a highly-rated member of the Red Bull junior driver programme and is already considered a key figure in the team’s long-term future. Despite ongoing speculation about Max Verstappen’s potential departure from Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko reportedly views Lindblad as a strong candidate for a full-time Formula 1 seat in 2026.
The young Anglo-Swedish driver, born in 2007, completed his first official session in a Formula 1 car by finishing in 14th position, just half a second behind three-time world champion Max Verstappen. Lindblad, who will celebrate his 18th birthday on August 8, described the experience as incredibly special and valuable for his development.
Arvid Lindblad’s first words after driving the RB21
“I felt comfortable in the car and I think the speed was good,” said Arvid Lindblad after the session. “I believe that with a few more laps I could have gone a bit faster. But considering this was my very first time driving a Formula 1 car, having completed only a few laps before this, and that this track is nearly 15 seconds faster than in Formula 2, the difference is absolutely massive. Taking all that into account, as well as the limited preparation time, I’m quite satisfied with my performance.”
The young Red Bull prospect added that he approached the session with a very measured mindset, conscious of the expectations and the need to avoid mistakes. “My mentality at the start of the session was really to try and push, while knowing that I would always stay below the car’s limit. Comparing it with Formula 2 is harsh—the F1 car is definitely on a whole other level. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and I will keep working as hard as I can to become a full-time Formula 1 driver in the future.”
A challenging F2 weekend
While his debut in the RB21 was promising, the rest of Lindblad’s weekend has proven more difficult in Formula 2. The qualifying session didn’t go as planned for the young driver, who will have to start from the eleventh position on the grid in both the Sprint Race and the Feature Race at Silverstone.
Nevertheless, his first outing in a Formula 1 car has marked an important milestone in his career and strengthened the belief that Red Bull is grooming him for a seat at the highest level of motorsport.
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