Arvid Lindblad: how F1's only rookie of 2026 is doing before Abu Dhabi
The Racing Bulls driver scored on debut, has 38 points and races with British, Swedish and Indian flags on his helmet.
Arvid Lindblad is the only rookie on the 2026 Formula 1 grid, and he heads towards his first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with 38 points for Racing Bulls, 11th in the drivers' standings after Singapore according to Crash. Born in 2007, he was 18 at the season opener in Melbourne and received his super licence at 17, as an exception to the rules.
His debut weekend set a high bar. Silverstone's mid-season review recalls that he reached Q3, briefly ran third on the opening lap ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar, and finished eighth to score points first time out. The following races were harder, with a sprint retirement in China, technical problems in Miami and practice crashes at Madring and in Baku.
By late September, Reuters reported that he had scored points in nine of his last ten races. He has named Max Verstappen as his benchmark but says he will take his own route: "I wouldn't put a timeline on it. I'm not in a rush."
Lindblad was born in the UK to a Swedish father and a mother of Indian ancestry with Punjabi roots. He races on a British licence and carries the Union Jack, Swedish and Indian flags on his helmet. He came up through Formula 4 in 2022, Formula 3 in 2024 and Formula 2 in 2025 before stepping up to Racing Bulls, Red Bull's sister team.
Racing Bulls had not confirmed its 2027 line-up when Reuters reported, though Lindblad is expected to stay, with Isack Hadjar's Red Bull contract extended through 2027. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is on Sunday 6 December at Yas Marina Circuit.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026Race day Sun 6 Dec · Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi See ticketsSource: Silverstone, Reuters via TimesLIVE, Crash
