An F1 rookie with no licence: Lindblad begins driving lessons

At 18 years old, Arvid Lindblad is living a life most teenagers can only access on a gaming console. But this week the Racing Bulls rookie spent a day learning a very different kind of racing line – one that comes with mirrors, roundabouts and, presumably, an instructor reminding him to check his blind spot.

The sport’s only apprentice on the grid this season has impressed pundits, scoring 20 points from his first ten Grands Prix to sit a respectable 11th in Formula 1’s Drivers’ standings.

Yet, if he wants to pop down to the local corner shop in Surrey for a pint of milk, he still has to ask his parents for a lift.

Because despite being legally cleared by the FIA to battle F1’s best at triple-digit speeds, Lindblad does not actually possess a valid UK road driver's licence.

Fortunately, the teenager has decided it is finally time to tackle his greatest challenge yet: the parallel park.

The ultimate "L" plate transition

In the UK, the clock starts ticking toward automotive freedom on a teenager's 17th birthday – a milestone Lindblad crossed back in August 2024.

While most 17-year-olds immediately start stalling their older sibling's hatchback in empty supermarket car parks, Lindblad was a bit busy climbing the single-seater ladder.

Now, with his 19th birthday looming next month, the F1 rookie has officially decided to face the music. During an appearance on Sky Sports Cricket at Edgbaston, Lindblad confessed that the novelty of being a carless racing driver has firmly worn off.

"It is a bit sad that I haven't got my licence," Lindblad admitted. "It was funny for a bit, and now it is just getting a bit silly, so I am working on it."

The good news is that the first hurdle is cleared: he has already passed his theory test. The even better news? He has finally climbed into a dual-control road car.

"I had my first driving lesson yesterday, so yeah, I need to get it done," he revealed.

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One can only imagine the sheer terror of the local driving instructor realizing their new student is used to pulling 5G through corners.

While his quest for road legality continues, Lindblad will be putting his learner plates back in the cupboard for the weekend.

He is heading straight to Spa-Francorchamps, where he will trade a polite 30 mph limit for the terrifying, gravity-defying sweep of Eau Rouge.

As he chases his fifth consecutive top-ten finish and looks to build on his 20-point championship tally, at least there is one silver lining for the rookie: at Spa, nobody is going to fail him for not locking his hands at ten-and-two.

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