– That the life of a Formula 1 racing driver is not always easy is something Arvid Lindblad is currently experiencing. The Brit will fulfill his dream of a Formula 1 cockpit in 2026, but it comes with a lot of sacrifices. Above all, his private life suffers from the hectic schedule and travels around the world.
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“Unfortunately, I haven’t really been able to go home for several months,” reveals the 18-year-old. First there were the test drives starting at the end of January in Spain and Bahrain, then the season opener in Australia and subsequently the races in China and now Japan. “I’ve basically been on the road continuously since the test drives,” describes the rookie.
While the Formula 1 elite are of course used to this, it’s already a tough time for an 18-year-old. “It’s not easy for me to know exactly how to manage it, because it’s my first season in Formula 1,” he admits.
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He knows he needs to find the right balance between training and reviewing races and taking time to switch off. “Because if you push through at full throttle all the time, by race ten you’re completely exhausted, and that’s not how it works,” he knows.
After the last race in China, he took a day off, but then the Racing Bulls driver was back in the simulator with his team right away to prepare for Suzuka. “I went through things from China: what we could do better and what the focus is here,” he says.
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Especially because the cars are brand new, many insights from previous years cannot be transferred one-to-one. “So you also have to prepare specifically for the upcoming weekend,” says Lindblad. And that brings more work with it.
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To balance things out, he took a few days off before the current weekend – but the teenager didn’t spend them at home, but in Tokyo, where he could adjust to the local time.
But there is light on the horizon for Lindblad: Since the Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been cancelled, Formula 1 drivers have a free month of April ahead. “After this weekend, I’ll finally be able to go home,” he beams.
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