F1 fans have already given Arvid Lindblad a new nickname after 2026 Imola test crash

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Arvid Lindblad’s start to pre-season testing for the 2026 Formula 1 season didn’t get off to the best start at Imola.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix might have fallen off the 2026 F1 calendar, but Racing Bulls still use the track for a lot of their testing.

Before taking part in a full 200 km filming day on Wednesday, Racing Bulls completed a short shakedown run on Tuesday, with both Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson in the car.

How worried should Racing Bulls be about Arvid Lindblad’s Imola spin on his first lap in the 2026 car?

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The pair were only allowed to complete three laps each, and Lawson was the first driver to set out in treacherously damp conditions.

The design of the 2026 Racing Bulls car caught fans’ attention, although its performance compared to the other 10 cars on the grid won’t be known until the Australian Grand Prix.

Unfortunately for Lindblad, his three-lap run was cut short after spinning on his first tour of the circuit.

READ MORE: Who is 2026 Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad? Everything you need to know

Fans give Arvid Lindblad new nicknames as ‘weird’ pre-season crash at Imola turns heads

The Racing Bulls ‘demonstration event’ was cut short after Lindblad lost control at the Villeneuve chicane.

Footage that emerged on social media drew plenty of attention as Lindblad approached the left-hand corner, only for the back of the car to step out and the British teenager to end up in the gravel on the outside of the turn.

Reacting to the clip, one comment read: “Well, last year Lawson spun the Red Bull in testing, and Hadjar spun on the formation lap, and this was wet, so it doesn’t mean anything.”

Another heard the crash and suggested: “Sounds like a weird power surge,” while another comment read: “How did he spin right? Someone explain. It didn’t even fishtail.”

“Nice bit of rear lock to kick off the season,” read one message, which was followed up with: “That looks like a classic lock up.. no driver’s fault, I think.”

One reply stated: “New car, only car on track, track is wet. Literally nothing special. Hadjar spun in his first race and got a podium in the same season.”

“Imagine thinking a spin in a testing session matters,” one commented said, defending Lindblad, and another message was sent with a similar message, highlighting: “Car snapped on him, I feel for him, he was a total passenger there.”

Finally, plenty of commenters had already come up with a new nickname for the 18-year-old after the incident, with the name, “Arvid Spindblad” littered among the replies.

READ MORE: All to know about Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation

Arvid Lindblad has already impressed in testing ahead of the 2026 F1 season

Although Lindblad will become one of the youngest drivers in F1 history when he makes his debut at the Australian Grand Prix, he’s not going to be underprepared.

Lindblad has completed plenty of private testing, and while he’s had a few spins along the way, it’s much better to make those mistakes now rather than when it matters.

He completed several FP1 sessions last season for Red Bull and Racing Bulls, including at the Mexico City Grand Prix, when he took Max Verstappen’s car out on track, fitted with a new upgrade that the team didn’t have a spare for.

That level of trust is why Lindblad’s in Formula 1 this year, and it will be interesting to see if the culture of chopping and changing drivers at a moment’s notice has disappeared after Helmut Marko’s exit.

Lindblad’s post-season testing run in Abu Dhabi went down well within the Racing Bulls camp, and he’ll hope to have more luck during the team’s filming day before heading to Barcelona for the first official test.