Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad has said the genuine advice given by Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has been “inspiring”.
Four-time F1 title-winner Verstappen is the Red Bull mould that all junior drivers in his wake are striving to follow.
Lindblad, 17, is one of the next in line to progress to F1 and Red Bull is excited by the teenage talent ahead of his debut campaign in Formula 2.
The British-Swede driver has revealed his time with Verstappen has been brief, but each encounter has been of benefit.
“He’s always very impressive on the racetrack, and to deal with him, he’s always been really good to me,” Lindblad told RacingNews365.
“He’s obviously very busy, but he still takes the time. We speak, not that much, a bit, whenever I’ve been in the hospitality.
“I’ve sent him the odd message just to have some advice, and he’s always replied very quickly, or been very friendly.
“It’s not like he’s sent a very short, brief answer. He’s gone into quite a lot of detail and really tried to help me.
“So, yeah, he’s been very friendly. For someone of his calibre, a four-time world champion, all the things he has in his mind, things he has to deal with, to take the time, to be open, honest and quite friendly to someone like me, who’s coming up through the ranks, is very inspiring.
“Obviously, in the future, I want to be in Formula 1. I want to be a world champion, and seeing those characteristics and behaviours from him is something I aspire to have, hopefully in the future.”
Lindblad being prepared for 2026 Racing Bulls F1 seat
Lindblad has been rising up the junior ranks at pace, winning races in Italian F4 and FIA Formula 3 in 2023 and ’24 respectively.
Helmut Marko, who is responsible for identifying and nurturing Red Bull’s junior roster, is putting plans in place to prepare Lindblad for a 2026 F1 shot with the Racing Bulls team.
“We are doing a special programme for him, sending him to New Zealand in this [Formula Regional] championship and the goal is to win it so he gets the necessary points for a Super License,” the Austrian told the Inside Line F1 podcast.
“We want him to win or to be one of the top players in the [Formula 2] championship,” Marko added.
Moreover, Marko wants Lindblad to participate in F1 Testing of Previous Cars running.
“Yes, it’s a plan,” the Austrian said.
“The number isn’t yet decided, but it will be several tests.
“I think in the past, if I compare with [Jack] Doohan, or with [Oscar] Piastri, or also with [Oliver] Bearman, they had a lot of tests in the two-year-old version Formula 1 car.
“And we want… For example, Lawson didn’t have this opportunity, and also, [Isack] Hadjar, to a certain amount, didn’t have this opportunity.
“And this we will change for Arvid that he, if he makes a very good season in Formula 2, that he can go with good experience into F1 in 2026, maybe.”
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