The road to Formula 1 is expensive, cutthroat, and most of all performance-based. You must impress teams, critics, and drivers alike to get a spot in the big league. This is exactly what Red Bull Racing Academy driver Arvid Lindblad did in a Practice session at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix weekend.
The Red Bull junior was granted a Super License exemption a few weeks ago, allowing him to take part in F1 sessions. He wouldn’t have to wait long, as the 17-year-old was allowed to take over Yuki Tsunoda’s car in FP1 to get a feel for the power of an F1 car compared to his own F2 car.
Helmut Marko satisfied with Lindblad’s outing during FP1
Red Bull Racing Team Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko was full of praise after the stints Lindblad had completed in the RB21 at Silverstone:
“From our perspective, the teenager did a great job – his speed was solid, his feedback was insightful, and the engineers were very pleased with his performance.”
FP1 CLASSIFICATION
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While Friday may not have been the strongest day for Red Bull at Silverstone, Lindblad didn’t seem to be bothered too much by it. He finished the session in P14, just 0.5 seconds off teammate Max Verstappen. With this first outing complete, Red Bull couldn’t wait to get him into the car again.
Arvid Lindblad Impresses Again in Post-Silverstone Test
Just a week after the British Grand Prix, Lindblad was invited back into the cockpit of the RB21 for a more relaxed outing during a test day. Here, he completed over 100 laps in the car and once again impressed Red Bull Management:
“He showed excellent physical condition and delivered competitive lap times,” wrote Marko.
Reflecting on the opportunity to drive the car, Lindblad couldn’t have been more excited, speaking to the F1 press:
“It was amazing, I am extremely grateful to everyone at Red Bull for the opportunity. Amazing to get my first official F1 session.
Red Bull’s 17-Year-Old Prodigy Arvid Lindblad Takes His First Major Step Toward F1 Stardom at Imola
“I think I did decent, I felt comfortable in the car, and I think the speed was okay. I think I could definitely go a bit quicker with a few more laps, but considering it was my first time in a car that I’ve only done very limited running in F1, I mean, for example, this weekend I think it is 13, 14 seconds quicker than F2, so the step is enormous.
“So, all that considered, with the limited prep I’m happy with the job today.”
As far as first outings in Formula 1 go, Lindblad didn’t disappoint. Additionally, with the driver market in a state of uncertainty at the moment, there’s no telling what could be next for the Red Bull junior in the near future.
