From P22 on the grid for the 2026 F1 Malaysia race, Arvid Lindblad gained 12 places as the Racing Bulls rookie grabbed a crucial point on Sunday afternoon.
Engine component changes had put him at the back of the field for the race. After the formation lap farce, Racing Bulls made the right call by starting him on intermediates.
A wild day at Sepang for the rookie
By the end of the first racing lap, he had gone all the way up to 9th as he passed all the dry tyre runners on the damp and slippery track. That became 8th when he overtook Alex Albon at the beginning of Lap 6. A slow stop for Carlos Sainz behind the first Safety Car made that P7.
From there, his pace was mixed through the second stint but had no chance to fight against the McLarens and Ferraris who were coming through after their bad tyre calls at the start alongside other teams.
He then dropped behind Nico Hülkenberg and Fernando Alonso once he made his second stop. However, Lando Norris’ mistake behind the Safety Car and George Russell’s DNF moved him back into 10th. As the World Champion cleared him on the restart, car #41 was P11.
With two laps remaining, Arvid Lindblad engaged in a thrilling battle with the aforementioned Audi driver. As he looked to have breezed by into Turn 1, Hülkenberg held it around the outside to claim the apex at Turn 2. However, the Racing Bulls driver got the switchback out of the corner and swept around the outside at Turn 3. It wasn’t finish, though. Car #27 had more energy and made a great move around the outside on the brakes into Turn 4.
As the final lap started of the 2026 F1 Malaysia race, Hülkenberg had a snap of oversteer in the final corner, giving Lindblad a huge run to take 10th.
Arvid Lindblad on his point in 2026 F1 Malaysia race
Speaking in the print media pen post-race, the 19-year-old was pleased to score a point considering he started dead last. Liam Lawson‘s P7 means they outscored Alpine by seven points at Sepang.
“Yeah, I mean obviously the outcome is pretty amazing. To be in the points with P10 is the best possible result.
“So yeah, great day for the team.”
Reflecting on the tyre choice and the start, the British rookie was full of praise for his team and the job they did on Sunday to get him up the field.
Nonetheless, Lindblad was self-critical of his own performance in the 2026 F1 Malaysia race, both in the pen and on the radio immediately after the race. Following the first Safety Car, he lapped faster than his teammate for a few laps. By the end of that stint, though, he was considerably slower than the New Zealander.
“Yeah, it was pretty mad [the start and tyre choice].
“I actually wanted the slick, but the team decided to go for the inter and honestly full credit to them. It was the right decision.
“Honestly, I can’t say anything even slightly negative about the team so far this week. Especially today, they’ve done an absolutely amazing job. From strategy, from the engineers, the PU. It’s been honestly perfect and it’s thanks to them that we got this result.
“Honestly, on my side, from a performance point of view, I am not very happy.”
The battle with Nico Hülkenberg
Arvid Lindblad then described the brilliant fight he had with the German in the final two laps.
“On the penultimate lap, we passed and repassed. Then I did him again on the last lap.”
The rookie then explained how he used the boost to absolutely cruise by on the start-finish straight at the start of Lap 55 as Audi’s straight-line deficit was ruthlessly exposed.
”Just passed him with the boost. I guess I have a better engine.”
