The 2025 Formula 1 season saw a total of six rookies join the grid: Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Ollie Bearman (Haas), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber), and Liam Lawson (Red Bull Racing).
In 2026, the 22-driver grid will only feature one rookie in Visa Cash App Racing Bulls' (VCARB) Arvid Lindblad.
Partnering with Liam Lawson, who was demoted to the team from the senior Red Bull seat after only two races in 2025, the British driver will be the youngest on the grid at 18 years and 156 days when the season starts in Australia. But exactly who is Arvid Lindblad?
A Red Bull Junior Team driver since 2021, he's previously featured in Formula 4, F3 and F2 Championship seasons. This year, he moves from the F2 team, Campos, after finishing the 2025 season in sixth place. During the season, he secured the record of the youngest ever F2 race winner at 17 years and 254 days.
2025 also saw Lindblad become the youngest ever F2 pole sitter. In F1, he will drive with the number 41, which has never been used (it's been widely speculated that AL = 41, though the driver himself has yet to comment).
After impressing the team, Red Bull requested that Lindblad be approved for a Super Licence exemption, as he didn't then meet the age requirement of 18 to enable him to race in F1. A similar request was previously made by Mercedes for Antonelli, another of Formula 1's rising stars.
An already impressive racing record at such a young age arguably proves that Lindblad is deserving of a shot in F1, and he's a driver with the potential to evolve into a future star...if he can handle the pressure.
Being a Red Bull driver often comes as a double-edged sword, and very few manage to excel and reach the heights of some of the best drivers in F1 history, such as multiple-time World Champions—and Red Bull Racing icons—Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel.
Like Lindblad, Hadjar debuted for the Racing Bulls team in 2025 and has deservedly earned himself a drive in the senior Red Bull team in 2026. However, Australia 2025 saw Hadjar fail to make the grid after crashing out on his maiden formation lap. Footage of Hadjar being comforted by Lewis Hamilton's father, Anthony Hamilton, following his crash, went viral and served as a stark reminder of the pressure that comes with being a Red Bull Racing driver.
Addressing his upcoming Racing Bulls debut, Lindblad said last December, "I’d like to thank everyone at VCARB for the opportunity. Since I started this journey at five years old, it was always my goal to be in Formula 1, so it’s a proud moment to take this step."
"I’m extremely grateful to the Red Bull Junior Programme and my personal team for their guidance, mentorship and belief; none of this would have been possible without their support," he continued. "2026 will be a big challenge, and I know there’s a lot to learn, but I’m ready to work closely with the team and rise to it. I can’t wait to get started, it’s going to be an exciting year!"
Will Lindblad cope under the pressure, and can he rise to the challenge with an eye on a future seat in the senior Red Bull Racing team? No doubt Arvid Lindblad will be one to closely watch in 2026 and beyond.