Most rookies would celebrate a top-10 qualifying result at one of Formula 1’s trickiest circuits, but Arvid Lindblad walked away feeling “a little bit said” and wanting more.
The Racing Bulls apprentice continued his impressive Montreal weekend by qualifying ninth for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix – matching the best grid position of his young F1 career – but the Briton rookie admitted he could not completely hide a sense of frustration after briefly believing an even bigger result was within reach.
That alone says plenty about just how quickly Lindblad is settling into Formula 1.
At a circuit he had never seen before, during a Sprint weekend that leaves little room for mistakes, the 18-year-old has looked composed, fast and increasingly confident from the very first session.
He already grabbed a point with eighth in the Sprint, and once again emerged as “best of the rest” behind the drivers from Formula 1’s traditional top four teams.
Still, Lindblad could not help thinking about what might have been.
‘P9 was a little bit sad!’
“It's been good this weekend,” he said when asked about his progress.
“I was told before the weekend this could arguably be one of the hardest races so far this year, because it is a very challenging track, and it is a sprint weekend.
“But the team have done a really good job to give me a car that I've been comfortable in.
“I think I've done a good job, getting up to speed and figuring things out, always chipping away. So, yeah, I'm happy with how the weekend has gone so far.”
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The impressive part is how naturally Lindblad has adapted. Montreal punishes hesitation, rewards confidence, and regularly catches out even experienced drivers. Yet the Racing Bulls teenager has looked at home attacking the walls and kerbs all weekend.
And for a brief moment during qualifying, he thought something truly special might be unfolding.
“Part of me was a little bit disappointed – I was hearing sort of P5, P6, P7 during Q1 and Q2, so to end up P9 was a little bit sad!
“But at the same time I think it was inevitable when the top teams figured everything out, so I think it was the best that was possible – best of the rest. Looking forward to tomorrow now."
It was the kind of disappointment teams actually love to hear from young drivers — frustration not at struggling to survive in Formula 1, but at narrowly missing out on something even bigger.
Racing Bulls finding answers again
Lindblad also credited Racing Bulls’ latest upgrade package for helping unlock the car’s pace after a disappointing Miami outing.
The Faenza-based team introduced a revised floor and beam wing in Canada, and according to Lindblad, the response has been immediate.
“A solid step,” he said. “I was quite surprised to be honest. We had an upgrade for Miami, and it wasn't as good as we hoped.
“In the end, we were out in Q1; we weren't that competitive, and I was slightly more on the pessimistic side coming into this weekend.
©RB
“But full credit to the team, they've done a phenomenal job. From the first lap in FP1, I felt really comfortable, and we've been fast.
“Every lap that I've done this weekend has been quick, so the team have done a phenomenal job to bounce back from Miami.”
That bounce-back could become even more valuable on Sunday if the weather forecast proves accurate.
Read also: Montreal Speed Trap: Who is the fastest of them all?
With rain expected for the Grand Prix, Lindblad may hold a small but potentially crucial advantage over several of his rivals. Unlike many drivers on the grid, he has already tested the 2026 machinery extensively in wet conditions.
And in a race likely to be filled with unpredictability, that experience could matter.
“I think for sure that day that I did in Suzuka will be handy tomorrow if it's wet,” he said.
“In the end, there's so many unknowns, there's so many things that are going to be out of our control that can just happen.
“So I think the most important thing is to be open-minded and figure things out on the fly, because there's going to be a lot going on tomorrow.”
Given how this weekend has unfolded so far, few would bet against Lindblad figuring things out quicker than most.
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