“Lando, remember me. I will see you in Formula 1 in five years.”
These were the words spoken by 14-year-old British karting talent Arvid Lindblad to Lando Norris in 2021. The confident young driver made his bold statement while shaking hands with Norris at the Adria Karting Raceway in Italy.
Norris was present at the track to launch his own karting team. Lindblad, currently competing in Formula 2, seized the opportunity to make a memorable impression.
`It was a spontaneous moment. I was chatting with a friend at the track when we spotted Lando,` Lindblad recounted.
`I told my friend, “I`ll be racing with him in F1 soon.” My friend doubted me, saying I didn`t have the courage to tell him directly, so I decided to prove him wrong!`
`So, I approached Lando, and he was very receptive. I introduced myself, said it was nice to meet him, and added, “see you in five years.” I was inspired by Lewis Hamilton`s story of telling Ron Dennis he would drive for McLaren. It felt like a similar situation, fueled by my friend`s dare!`
`That happened at the end of 2021. Now, I`m focused on having a successful year in F2 and hopefully making it to F1 to keep my promise!`
Watching Hamilton as a Kid
Lindblad`s reference to Hamilton echoes back to 1995 when a young Hamilton, just 10 years old, told McLaren team boss Ron Dennis at the Autosport Awards about his F1 aspirations.
As Lindblad grew up and began karting at age five, Hamilton was achieving multiple championships with Mercedes, becoming a major inspiration.
`I have vague memories from when I was four or five when Sebastian Vettel was winning, but not much,` Lindblad admitted.
`When Lewis started winning, around age seven or eight, I began to understand Formula 1 better.`
`I entered the sport during his era of dominance. He was British, and also a person of color, which created a connection for me. His F1 debut year was 2007, the same year I was born. I always felt a certain affinity with him.`
Born in Surrey, Lindblad has Swedish and Indian heritage. Representing Britain in racing, his talent was evident from an early age.
Oliver Rowland, a leading Formula E driver, became Lindblad`s mentor, recognizing his exceptional potential.
`I first met Arvid in 2016. I received a call from my former karting team, Zip Kart, who played a crucial role in my own career,` Rowland explained.
`They told me about a promising young kid, just seven years old at the time. They asked if I`d be interested in coaching him. I was busy but agreed to take a look.`
`I went to Whilton Mill karting track on his first day. Even as a seven-year-old, his performance was impressive.`
`His maturity at such a young age stood out. He was incredibly inquisitive about racing, always asking how to go faster. It was clear that racing was his sole focus, which was remarkable for someone so young.`
A Rapid Rise in Karting
Rowland established Oliver Rowland Motorsport, a karting team specifically for Lindblad, as Lindblad and his family sought a better karting setup.
Lindblad secured the British Championship and quickly progressed to international karting, competing for titles against older rivals.
`From the beginning, the aim was always Formula 1 and becoming a world champion,` Lindblad stated.
`At seven or eight, I was often the youngest competitor, racing in the 8-13 age group. There were times when I was remarkably quick, matching the pace of the top drivers.`
`That gave me confidence. By nine or ten, I was contending for and then won the British Championship.`
`Moving to European competitions, I performed well. There wasn`t a specific moment where I realized I was “good enough.” I just kept pushing forward.`
`Everything I did was driven by the desire to win and constantly improve. My dad emphasized focusing on my development. I worked with many driver coaches to concentrate on self-improvement. The question was always, “How can I be better?”`
`I took everything step by step, aiming to excel at each level.`
Becoming a Red Bull Junior
It`s increasingly common for karting stars to transition to Formula 4 as soon as they reach the minimum age of 15.
Lindblad followed this path, already with Red Bull`s backing, having joined their junior program at 13 in late 2020.
`Being 13 at the time, I wasn`t fully aware of all the details. I was focused on results and performance, which is paramount in any sport,` he said.
`I recall discussions between my dad and team members linked to Red Bull, but I didn`t know the specifics.`
`I vividly remember being in a hotel in Portimao with my dad, testing for a karting World Championship. During breakfast, his phone rang.`
`The caller ID showed “Graz, Austria.” I didn`t think much of it initially, wondering who it could be, as I wasn`t aware of any ongoing negotiations at that moment.`
`I noticed something was up when he answered the phone and walked away with a spring in his step.`
`He returned and told me Dr. Marko wanted to meet us to discuss me joining the Red Bull program. I was ecstatic.`
`We met him on Sunday morning of the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix. He offered me a place in the program, and that`s how it all began.`
Climbing the Single-Seater Ladder
Lindblad achieved third place in his first full Italian F4 season in 2023, exceeding expectations.
He then won the Macau F4 World Cup race at the end of the year and progressed to F3 in 2024. While he didn`t win the F3 championship, his raw speed and adaptability to faster cars impressed many.
At Silverstone, he dominated, winning both races, including a standout performance in mixed weather conditions where he recovered from a poor starting position.
His championship hopes faded in the final six races, partly due to bad luck, as he didn`t score further points.
Despite this, Lindblad`s performances earned him a promotion to Formula 2 with Campos for this season. In his debut race in Australia, he started 14th after a close qualifying session and finished 10th in the only race as the feature race was canceled due to heavy rain.
`I`m satisfied with my progress. This year will be a significant challenge, a big step up from F3. I need to maximize every opportunity to learn and improve,` he said.
`For the initial rounds, I`m focusing on self-improvement, learning and developing, just as I did in testing. My goal is to contend for wins, podiums, and pole positions. I`m striving to get up to speed as quickly as possible, hopefully sooner rather than later.`
When Could Lindblad Race in F1?
Lindblad already holds a Super Licence, qualifying him to race in F1, after winning the Formula Regional Oceania Championship earlier in the year.
Red Bull clearly views Lindblad as a potential future star, known for fast-tracking drivers to F1.
With recent driver changes within Red Bull teams, uncertainties exist about Verstappen`s teammate in 2026, especially if current drivers underperform.
Despite Verstappen`s contract until 2028, speculation about his future persists, and driver dynamics within the team are evolving.
Opportunities could arise for Lindblad as early as next year if he excels in Formula 2.
`Verstappen has publicly stated he doesn`t intend to race for too long. He`s at a level where he`ll decide when to stop. Nobody will take his seat against his will,` Lindblad commented on potentially racing alongside Verstappen.
`I`m focused on my own journey, aiming for a strong F2 season and hopefully reaching Formula 1 in 2026. Then, we`ll see what happens.`
`It`s a unique situation. You work incredibly hard to reach F1, and being there is a different challenge altogether. I`m not even thinking about that aspect yet.`
`I`m still far from F1. I have much to prove, achieve, and improve. We`ll see what the future holds.`
`If I were to become his teammate someday, it would be incredible. If not, that`s also fine. It`s not a concern of mine. My ultimate goal is to become a Formula 1 world champion.`
New regulations in 2025 will mandate young drivers to participate in at least four first practice sessions per team, double the previous requirement.
Red Bull is likely to utilize Lindblad in these sessions. However, he must wait until he turns 18 in late August, as Super Licence rules generally prohibit drivers under 18, unless special exemptions are granted by the FIA.
Can Lindblad Become an F1 Champion?
It`s early to predict, but Lindblad`s mentor, Rowland, is optimistic about Britain`s rising motorsport star.
`I rate Arvid extremely highly. Among the rookies in F1 this year, only a couple might be immediately competitive. I expect the same from Arvid when he gets the call-up,` Rowland stated.
`He possesses everything needed at 17, and more, to have the potential to become an F1 world champion.`
`The journey is still long, with much to learn and develop. Formula 1 success isn`t solely about the driver in some cases, but I firmly believe that, based on his current trajectory, he has the potential to be a future world champion.`
