Arvid Lindblad: Britain’s youngest ever F1 driver on his Indian and Swedish heritage and fast-tracked rise

arvid lindblad, 18, is preparing to make his Formula 1 debut after a late-season promotion from Red Bull’s junior ranks, a milestone that matters for sport and representation. The British-Swede’s path — shaped by family history, mentors and a rapid climb through the junior categories — has him completing final preparations with his Racing Bulls team ahead of the grand prix in Australia at the beginning of March.

Family roots: Swedish father Stefan, Indian mother Anita and a 1947 story that shaped a life

His father is Stefan and his mother is Anita; Lindblad describes his family background as "quite a rare combination" that he is proud of. His maternal grandparents include a Nani who is Sikh and a grandfather who is Hindu. When they were five years old they were involved in the partition of India in 1947, living in the part of Punjab that is now Pakistan and forced to leave.

They came from well-off backgrounds but lost everything, worked hard to recreate a life for themselves and then moved to the UK in their late 20s, early 30s as doctors. Lindblad says he has been exposed to the cultures, rituals, food and prayer of his Indian family as well as the Swedish side, and that those three parts have shaped who he is today. Language skills, he notes, have not passed down the generations as effectively as culture.

He has appeared publicly with his parents — he was pictured with Stefan and Anita at the Autosport Awards in 2023.

Arvid Lindblad's Red Bull promotion: the Qatar moment and the Racing Bulls seat

Lindblad learned of Red Bull’s decision to promote him at last year’s Qatar Grand Prix while he was competing in the penultimate round of the Formula 2 championship. The news was broken by Helmut Marko, the veteran former F1 driver who served as Red Bull’s motorsport adviser and first brought Lindblad into the company’s driver programme when he was 13 as a promising go-karter.

He had spent just one season in both Formula 3 and Formula 2 before being handed the chance to take the second Racing Bulls seat, the spot vacated by Isack Hadjar who moves to Red Bull. The Faenza-based squad will pair Lindblad alongside Liam Lawson as he steps up to F1.

From karting at 13 to the final Marko promotion: the role of the Red Bull system and Rocky

Lindblad says the Red Bull programme has been a massive part of why he is in F1. He was signed at 13 by Helmut Marko and credits both Marko and Rocky — Guillaume Rocquellin, the former Red Bull engineer and Marko’s replacement — with helping him make the necessary steps through the junior ladder. He is noted as the final driver enlisted by Helmut Marko to be promoted from the Red Bull junior ranks to Formula 1.

Mentor Oliver Rowland and a family-like support network

Oliver Rowland has been central to Lindblad’s development. The reigning Formula E World Champion, a Yorkshireman, spotted Lindblad as a child and has been by his side ever since. Lindblad has known Rowland since he was seven, the pair started a karting team together, and Rowland attended many of his F3 and F2 races.

Rowland has acted as a nurturing presence both on and off the track, helping with driving and the mental approach. Lindblad says their relationship is hard to describe as anything other than family. Rowland was seen with Lindblad in his Nissan garage at the recent Jeddah E-Prix and Lindblad has spent time with Rowland’s daughter Harper in the paddock. Rowland has vowed his support ahead of Lindblad’s F1 debut, saying, "If I can be there, I will be. "

Age, testing and the moment of realisation ahead of Australia

At 18 years old, Lindblad is set to become Britain’s youngest ever Formula 1 driver and is one of five British drivers on the grid this year — six if you count Alex Albon, who was born and raised in the UK but races under the Thai flag. He is also due to become the fourth-youngest rookie of all time.

He was in Bahrain for pre-season testing, completing preparations with Racing Bulls, and was observed sitting on a beach in Bahrain with a Gulf mist obscuring the still-rising sun as he reflected on the upheaval and the achievement. He admits being cautious in interviews because he doesn’t want to say anything he might regret, but when asked what the best thing has been since becoming an F1 driver he smiled and said, "Since becoming a Formula 1 driver… the best thing was just becoming a Formula 1 driver. "