Last year, the Formula 1 grid saw several new faces, as some rookie drivers joined the grid.
This year, Arvid Lindblad is the only rookie on the grid.
All the 18-year-old has done is impress in his first three races, scoring points on his debut at the Australian Grand Prix. Now, as the grid returns after a long break, the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver looks ahead to his first Miami Grand Prix and builds on a strong start to the season.
Before the first Lindblad Miami Grand Prix, SB Nation He sat down with the young driver to talk about the start of his F1 journey, where he needs to improve and his first race in Miami.
Arvid Lindblad’s 2026 F1 season so far
Lindblad’s rookie season has consisted of only three races, but that’s where our conversation began. How would you describe your season so far?
“I think it’s gone pretty well. I mean, obviously, Melbourne was the first race, the Q3 points in the debut were pretty good. In Japan, there were moments that weekend that were really good as well,” Lindblad began.
“I would summarize that there have been quite a few good moments, which have given me confidence and shown me that I can do a good job. But there have also been things that have not gone so well, which has highlighted areas that need to be improved,” Lindblad continued. “So I have confidence in myself [yet] “I know I still have areas to work on, which I think is a really nice place to be in the first part of my rookie year.”
As mentioned, Lindblad finished in the points in his first F1 race, a solid P8 in his debut at the Australian Grand Prix. I asked the VCARB newbie to describe that ending to me.
It was more than I could have imagined.
“It was great,” Lindblad began.
“I always dreamed of making it to Formula One, so to have that, that day itself, was really special. And to have my parents there that weekend too was really cool.
“And then the way the weekend went, Q3, points, even being P3 at one point in the first lap was more than I could have ever imagined.”
Having scored points in his debut, I wondered if Lindblad had another important task that would be next to cross off his F1 “to-do” list. A stage? A victory?
The rookie driver does have a goal, but it is not what one might expect.
“I don’t know. I mean, you’d think the next kind of chronological step is getting a podium, but in the end, that’s not something I’m consciously thinking about,” Lindblad described.
“In the end, that is a result.
“I know there are still many things I can work on,” the driver highlighted.
“There are a lot of things to improve, so I’m very focused on that, and I try to continue, learn, develop, and I know that if I do well then the results will come with that, but it’s not something I’m proactively thinking about.”
A year ago, several rookies joined the grid full-time.
2026, however, is quite different as Lindblad is the only rookie on the grid. I asked the VCARB driver what it was like to be the only rookie in F1 this season.
As he noted, being the new face on the grid has been something of a career path for him.
“I don’t know, it’s not really something I think about, to be honest. I mean, I’ve risen through the ranks very quickly. In single-seaters every year I’ve been in a new category, but even since before, you know, in karting, I’m always used to, as soon as I could move up to the next category, I did it, so it was always the kind of thing, the young guy, the new kid on the block,” said Lindblad.
“I’m used to this kind of feeling. Obviously in F1 it’s different, but I’m used to that feeling of being thrown in the deep end, having a challenge, having to figure it out.
The discussion then turned to VCARB’s partnership with Mobil and how that helps Lindblad and teammate Liam Lawson on the track.
“I mean, it’s a huge partnership with Mobil,” Lindblad began. “I’ve been learning a lot about this and it’s been really cool to see.
“I mean, obviously this year with the new engines, their involvement, their expertise and their help has helped enormously to ensure that the first Red Bull engine is running really well. Me and the team are extremely grateful to them for that, and I also think it’s great that the experts who are making our race fuel are also, you know, making the fuel at the filling stations.”
Fans can also join the fun this week in Miami. If you’ve ever wanted to jump into a simulator and try to beat an F1 driver’s time, you can do so at the Mobil station at 18301 NW 27th Ave, Miami Gardens, Wednesday, April 29, 11:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET, and Thursday, April 30, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm ET.
Lindblad himself will be there on Wednesday and is looking forward to that event.
“Mobil is hosting a fan event that I will be at later today. [with a] simulator, free merchandise and nice interaction with fans, so it will be really cool and hopefully people will enjoy it,” the VCARB driver added.
After a long break, F1 returns for this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
Lindblad explained to me what his preparations have been for his first F1 race in Miami.
“It was good,” the driver began.
“Obviously, it’s been a little bit different because we’re coming off a pretty long break, and then we jump right in, kind of diving in at the deep end in the sense that it’s a new track, a sprint weekend, into the first race back. So [I tried] “I have to prepare a lot in the simulator, get up to speed, understand the circuit, know my approaches, references, all that kind of stuff,” Lindblad continued. “I try to prepare as best as possible, but you can’t, you can’t prepare for everything, so it’s still going to be a challenge when they go out on the court.”
“But I’m looking forward to it.”
What will also help is F1’s decision to add some extra practice time to this week’s only practice session. The Miami Grand Prix is an F1 Sprint Race weekend, meaning teams have just one practice before F1 Sprint qualifying. But due to the long break and some rule changes implemented by the sport ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, that single practice session was extended by 30 minutes.
Lindblad admitted that will help both him and the team.
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s going to help,” Lindblad began.
“I mean, obviously for me, as a rookie, having a little bit more track time before we get into the kind of more competitive racing, let’s say, it sure helps. Also for the teams, there have been changes to the rules and regulations for this event, so having that little bit of extra time just to understand it and, you know, dial all that in, it’s really helpful. Because maybe an hour sounds, I don’t know, long or short, but especially in a sprint. The weekend is really short,” the driver continued.
“Like in China, it’s a couple of laps you build up, then you’re on the long run, then immediately you’re on the soft and before you know it you’re on sprint quality.
“So having that little extra time will help with everything.”
As Lindblad looks ahead to Miami and the rest of the season, he knows where he needs to improve.
“I think the biggest thing for me has been that these cars are very different, especially on the power unit side,” Lindblad told me.
“Obviously there is a much larger electrical component than in previous years, and just being able to maximize it in qualifying, still understanding the gaps to extract more. But then, again, in the race, to be able to maximize it, to go as fast as possible, but even more so, in battle,” the VCARB driver continued. “When to pass, don’t be immediately passed behind. When you’re struggling to use it the right way. Passing or defending, using all the tools, momentum, all this kind of stuff. I think really getting to the top is an area I’m working on, I’m sure everyone is too, because that’s the biggest change, but I think that’s the biggest area of improvement that can come.”
However, while he works on that improvement, he is definitely looking forward to his first race in Miami.
“I’m looking forward to the weekend. It’s my first time here in Miami. I’ve heard a lot about the event, which is an amazing weekend, so I’m looking forward to it,” Lindblad said.
“I mean, even the little things that our paddock is in the NFL stadium are pretty crazy to think about.”
It has been a season of firsts for young Arvid Lindblad, including points in his first F1 race.
Now we will see how he does in his first Miami Grand Prix.
