Who Is Arvid Lindblad? British Teen With Indian Roots To Make His F1 Debut In 2026
British teenager Arvid Lindblad, long regarded as one of Red Bull's most promising young racers, is set to make the step into Formula 1 with Racing Bulls.
When Red Bull pushes a young driver into the spotlight, the industry usually takes notice. And that is exactly what has happened with Arvid Lindblad. The 18-year-old was confirmed as Racing Bulls' newest Formula 1 driver, a move marking one of the quickest escalations from junior racing to the top tier in recent memory. For a driver who started racing single-seaters only a few years ago, the step up to F1 is an incredible acceleration through the system.
Meteoric Rise Through Karting And Junior Series
According to ESPN, Arvid Gustav Lindblad was born on Aug. 8, 2007, in Virginia Water, Surrey, and was competitively racing karts at Daytona Sandown Park in Esher by age five. His rise through the British karting ranks was meteoric. By 2019, he had already secured the British Cadet Championship.
His performances caught the attention of Formula E racer and 2025 champion Oliver Rowland, under whose tutelage he won the WSK Super Master Series in 2020 and the WSK Euro Series in 2021. By 13, he had been recruited into Red Bull's celebrated junior programme in 2021, as reported by ESPN.
Graduating into single-seater racing the following year, Lindblad collected significant honours early. He won the Macau Formula 4 race in 2023, and then the Formula Regional Oceania Championship at the start of this year.
One season of Formula 3 was enough to promote him to Formula 2 in 2025. There, he became the youngest F2 race winner, aged 17, after winning in the Sprint race in Saudi Arabia in April. His momentum continued with a Feature race victory in Spain in June, placing him sixth in the championship ahead of the Abu Dhabi finale.
Lindblad, who currently sits sixth in the F2 standings for Campos Racing, will partner Liam Lawson at the Racing Bulls squad for 2026 F1 season.
Arvid Lindblad And The Indian Connect
Lindblad is of mixed ethnicity. His father is Swedish, while his mother (Anita Ahuja) is of Indian heritage. The teenager, though, has always represented Britain but has roots in India as Arvid's grandparents were born and brought up in Punjab.
Arvid, who had visited India in February this year, revealed that his parents had named him 'Arvid', a Swedish name that sounds similar to the common Indian name 'Arvind'. In an interview with the Inside Line F1 podcast, Arvid revealed more about this Indian connection.
Early Taste Of F1 Machinery
While Formula 1 typically requires its drivers to be 18 years old to acquire a super licence, Red Bull successfully applied for a special exemption with the FIA, allowing Lindblad to take part in Friday practice at the British Grand Prix in July. According to Sky Sports, he was back in the cockpit in Mexico in October, taking over the RB21 from Max Verstappen to end the session an impressive sixth.
Why Red Bull Chose Him
According to ESPN, Red Bull traditionally uses Racing Bulls as the proving ground for its brightest prospects. Elevating Lindblad at this stage indicates the organisation sees him as a future contender for the senior Red Bull seat.
Speaking after his confirmation as a Formula 1 race driver for the first time, Lindblad said, as quoted by Sky Sports, “Since I started this journey at five years old, it was always my goal to be in Formula 1. So, it’s a proud moment to take this step.”
The demands of Formula 1 will be steep, but Red Bull’s willingness to promote an 18-year-old reflects the confidence they have in his long-term potential.
