Arvid Lindblad says it’s ‘pointless’ to think about beating Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls in 2026

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Arvid Lindblad has been speaking to the media at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after he was confirmed as a Racing Bulls driver for 2026. Lindblad will take on Liam Lawson in an intriguing match-up.

Red Bull bosses decided to promote Lindblad after just one year in F2, rather than give Yuki Tsunoda another chance at Racing Bulls. This signals the team’s intention to look to the future.

Lindblad will be the youngest driver on the 2026 grid at 18 and also the only rookie in the field. But Helmut Marko is notoriously impatient with young talents.

Lawson has scored 44 points in 32 weekends for the team, so he offers a solid midfield benchmark. Given that he lost out to a rookie Hadjar, though, Marko may expect Lindblad to be ahead.

Arvid Lindblad says he’s focused on himself – not Liam Lawson

During an appearance on Sky Sports for the F1 Show, Lindblad was asked whether he would compare himself to Lawson next year. He was eager to point out that he faces an extremely steep learning curve.

Some in F2 think Red Bull have promoted Lindblad too early and should have given him another year in the series. But he has generated considerable excitement within Milton Keynes.

Lindblad, who is sixth in the F2 championship heading into the final round, took part in his third F1 practice session in Abu Dhabi on Friday. He finished P15 in the Red Bull, around seven-tenths off Max Verstappen.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” Lindblad said of the teammate comparison. “I don’t really think about my teammate. That’s the one guy you’re compared against, but I’m in a different position to a lot of the guys who have come through.

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“Yes, I’m prepared, but three years ago I was in karting. I’ve done one year in each category, so on that side it’s all been very fast.

“For me, I’m just focused on learning as much as I can during this winter break and focusing on myself to work with the team. Realistically, there’s going to be so many new things, there’s going to be so much to get on top of.

“All that I’m thinking about is getting the most out of myself, putting myself in the best position possible, then we’ll see what happens. There are so many unknowns next year that it’s pointless me talking about, ‘I want to be better than this guy or that guy.'”

Liam Lawson’s warning to Arvid Lindblad ahead of 2026 partnership

The feeling is that 2026 could be Lawson’s last chance in the Red Bull setup. He had to wait until round 23 of 24 for confirmation that he would keep his seat.

It’s difficult to see Lawson surviving, both at Racing Bulls and in F1 more generally, if he loses to a rookie for a second straight year.

Lawson expects Racing Bulls to ‘lean on him’ more next year as Lindblad adjusts. However, he cautioned that he’s far from a veteran himself.

Indeed, this weekend’s Abu Dhabi GP is only the Kiwi’s 35th start. While those have come over three different seasons, that’s the equivalent of less than 1.5 campaigns in this era of F1.