Arvid Lindblad told he won’t be the ‘new Isack Hadjar’ before he’s even started an F1 race

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Arvid Lindblad is readying himself for his rookie Formula 1 campaign this season, and he has already been told why he won’t have it as good as Isack Hadjar did last year.

Isack Hadjar was easily one of the most impressive rookies of the previous term and became the latest Red Bull junior academy product to partner with Max Verstappen at the frontrunning F1 team.

The Frenchman’s maiden podium at Zandvoort was just the cherry on top of a barnstorming debut campaign that saw him achieve a similar number of points to some of the most seasoned veterans on the grid, like Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg.

Filling his shoes at Racing Bulls is Arvid Lindblad, who joins the F1 grid as an 18-year-old with just one year of experience in Formula 2 under his belt.

Many F2 paddock figures believe Lindblad isn’t ready for F1 just yet, which has been echoed by those who have been keeping an eye on the young Briton’s journey through the single-seater ladder.

• READ MORE: Arvid Lindblad reveals the ‘difficult’ advice Red Bull bosses have given him ahead of his F1 debut

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Arvid Lindblad’s short experience in Formula 2 has raised ‘doubts’ over his immediate competitiveness

During an appearance on the Paddockpraat podcast, touring car driver Jeroen Bleekemolen offered his thoughts on Lindblad’s quick route to the F1 paddock.

The Dutchman said, “I followed Formula 2 quite closely, of course. But Formula 2 is always difficult, partly because you have the same cars. So it’s all about very slight adjustments, differences between teams.

“It’s not easy. Then they also say that there are differences between engines and so on. I didn’t see much of him, if I’m being completely honest, in Formula 2. At least not yet.

“He’s certainly not bad. But it’s not like you think, ‘This is the new Hadjar.’ I didn’t think he was that great.

“He did okay, but he was also in the best car, because his teammate was also at the front. I definitely have my doubts about Lindblad.”

Lindblad may fall foul of the same difficulties that Kimi Antonelli experienced during his rookie campaign last year.

A difficult string of results for the young Italian saw many call for Mercedes to loan Antonelli out in favour of a more experienced driver.

The Silver Arrows prevailed, and Antonelli came back stronger in the second half of the term.

• READ MORE: Racing Bulls CEO ‘impressed’ by what Arvid Lindblad told him while watching Liam Lawson on track

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Arvid Lindblad’s first shakedown of Racing Bulls’ 2026 F1 car didn’t quite go to plan

Racing Bulls teammate Liam Lawson has already warned Lindblad about the ‘fear’ that comes with a rookie season in F1, and the young Briton may already be feeling the pressure.

At the Italian constructor’s first shakedown of their 2026 challenger at Imola, Lindblad had an off, which resulted in the car being driven back to the pit lane on a recovery truck.

The incident occurred on his third and final planned lap, with the car being taken back so that engineers could review the issue that hindered his first laps.

Due to the secretive nature of F1 shakedowns, no more information on the incident has emerged. Lindblad will get another opportunity to get behind the wheel of the VCARB-03 at Barcelona next week, for a week of shakedown tests for every team on the grid.