Arvid Lindblad admits he’s uncertain if he’s “fully prepared” to contest his rookie System 1 marketing campaign in 2026 – however he’s definitely gathering reward from Racing Bulls.
The 18-year-old will enter F1 with the Italian outfit this yr and carried out his first set of observe motion within the non-public Barcelona shakedown on Wednesday.
It’s understood that Lindblad accomplished not less than 42 laps, however induced a crimson flag at one level with a presumed technical concern on the VCARB 03 – so nothing to do with the younger Briton.
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Regardless, quite a bit is being requested of Lindblad contemplating his age and the way he was fast-tracked via the junior classes by Crimson Bull, having joined its junior programme in 2021.
So, when requested by F1 TV how ready he feels for 2026, Lindblad, who arrives off the again of ending sixth in F2 final yr, mentioned: “I do not know. I imply, I’ve obtained quite a bit to study. If I am fully prepared, I do not know.
“It is probably not one thing I take into consideration. I am extra enthusiastic about how can I attempt to get extra prepared. What is the issues that may assist me study to be in as finest place as attainable after we get to Melbourne.
“So, I am simply targeted on working exhausting with the crew on the sim right here on the observe with the engineers, simply attempting to study as a lot as I can, be a little bit of a sponge on that aspect. And yeah, then we’ll see.”
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Photograph by: System 1
Lindblad’s rookie marketing campaign coincides with F1 introducing a brand new set of rules, which adjustments each the automotive’s chassis and energy unit forward of the season opener in Australia on 6-8 March.
Whereas Lindblad was maybe extra reserved in his evaluation of how prepared he feels, technical officer Tim Goss was filled with reward for his driver.
“He is actually calm, actually skilled – suggestions is absolutely, actually simple,” mentioned Goss. “For somebody so younger, it is actually, actually spectacular and his session within the automotive has actually simply been about attending to grips with this breed of automotive.
“They’re very, very completely different, not simply the final dealing with of the automotive however the best way you have simply obtained to handle the vitality and the vitality administration and he is simply been actually, actually cool, calm, skilled.
“As we’re attending to the grips with the stability of the automotive, his suggestions has simply been actually easy, actually clear, so actually, actually impressed with him.”
Crimson Bull Ford Powertrains
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
The brand new season will even see Racing Bulls, and sister squad Crimson Bull, compete with an in-house energy unit for the primary time since their respective F1 debuts in 2006 and 2005.
Though it has been anticipated that they’d wrestle to start with, contemplating the robust engines that belong to the likes of Mercedes, many have been impressed with the reliability of the facility unit this week.
Goss is one in every of them, saying: “It has been a extremely, actually spectacular job by Crimson Bull-Ford Powertrains. To return as an entire newcomer to System 1 and in your very first day, then to place practically 200 laps beneath your belt, it is easy to take this stage of reliability with no consideration, however it could’t be underestimated what they’ve achieved.
“The driveability is unbelievable. The problem that ourselves and possibly all the opposite groups are coming to grips with is simply how the vitality administration adjustments a little bit bit from lap to lap, from nook to nook, and simply attempting to grasp how finest to tune all of that and for the drivers simply to get used to it, actually.”
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