Confirmed by Van Amersfoort Racing to be joining their Italian F4 roster this weekend, Arvid Lindblad is due to make his single-seater debut at the Red Bull Ring. Set to join the series full-time come 2023, this will be the first taste of what’s to come from the British-Swedish driver. 

By George Brabner

Despite turning 15 just under a month ago Arvid Lindblad’s impressive career isn’t short of accolades thus far. Making the jump up to KZ2 shifter karts for 2022, it’s his final stepping stone to single-seaters, riding off the back of being named FIA Karting Rookie of the Year 2021 – the same award given to Italian F4 star Andrea Kimi Antonelli in 2020.

The youngest on the grid in Original Karting (OK) in 2021, he was crowned champion in the WSK Euro Series and WSK Final Cup, before coming third in the FIA Karting European Championship and FIA Karting World Championship – beating the likes of Ugo Ugochukwu and Nikola Tsolov while drawing on points with Rafael Camara.

First stepping into a kart at 5 years old, the roots in racing developed from a young age, success coming quickly to him as he became British Champion at 11 years of age. As is so often the case with young motorsport proteges, his progress from there was rapid. His victory in the WSK Super Master Series in 2020 would prove vital for his career as just months later Red Bull would come knocking at his door for a spot on the Red Bull Junior Team.

A 2022 setback pushed to the side

His karting journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing though. The Brit suffering from a huge accident at the Franciacorta Karting Track in February 2022, leaving the scene with a broken thumb and extensive tissue damage. It saw him stuck in hospital and required a short period of rehabilitation to get him back to racing fitness. 

In a year where his single-seater debut was just around the corner, it wasn’t what he needed, but he’s bounced back. Some successful testing with VAR at Vallelunga and Misano in the Tatuus T-014 where he topped multiple sessions has seen his momentum return ahead of his Italian F4 debut – all encouraging signs for the Red Bull Junior.

A young driver in good hands

Announced in January 2021 as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, Arvid Lindblad is the youngest member of a squad that boasts an impressive presence across the junior ladder. His car will be emblazoned in the Red Bull colours for this weekend at the Red Bull Ring, as he continues to race as part of the Red Bull Junior Team – over 18 months after his initial signing.

Alongside the plethora of support he receives as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, he is also guided by Mahindra Racing Formula E driver, Oliver Rowland. After competing for Rowland’s karting team Oliver Rowland Motorsport across three separate years, The former F2 race winner has become an educational figure for Lindblad as he continues to progress.

Winning mentality and looking ahead

Despite his age, Lindblad has shown some impressive strength of character so far in his career. Coming back from the injuries he sustained whilst competing in the Champions of the Future Winter Series, he’s slotted right back into being competitive in multiple FIA-certified karting series and has since appeared unphased on track by his accident.  

Talking about Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton on the Red Bull website, Lindblad says the “fearlessness, tenacity and an uncompromising desire to win” shown by the stars “have motivated me a lot in my own driving to push hard even when I have often been one of the youngest and least experienced drivers on the grid”. The confidence and presence brought to the table by Lindblad draw eyes both on and off the track.

And so the signs of success from Arvid Lindblad are clear, but this weekend will be important in setting the tone for the rest of the year and his 2023 campaigns. Pitched against the likes of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Rafael Camara and Alex Dunne, his competition will be strong on his debut, so the pressure is on his shoulders to deliver.

Header photo credit: Red Bull Content Pool