‘Surreal moment’ as Racing Bulls introduces Lindblad, F1 2026’s sole rookie

Arvid Lindblad said it was “honestly surreal” as he took to the stage in Detroit for his first-ever Formula 1 launch as Racing Bulls unveiled the VCARB03’s official livery for his debut campaign.

Racing Bulls and Red Bull became the first teams to unveil their 2026 liveries, doing so in a joint launch in Detroit using show cars.

Arvid Lindblad will make his F1 debut in Melbourne

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But while Racing Bull’s 2026 colour scheme is largely unchanged from last season, the team’s line-up sees a new driver join the grid with Lindblad promoted to the Formula 1 team, where he will race alongside Liam Lawson.

Lindblad’s rise into Formula 1 has been meteoric with the 18-year-old contesting just a single season in Formula 3 before stepping up into Formula 2 for a year with Campos Racing, and now F1.

“This moment is honestly surreal,” declared Lindblad. “To be introduced as a Formula One driver at an event like this, in such an iconic setting, is something I’ll never forget.

“The team’s vision, the new power unit, and the belief they’ve shown in me mean a lot.

“I’m ready to learn, to work, and to give everything on track as we start this new chapter together.”

Arvid Lindblad lines up as F1 2026’s sole rookie

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The British teenager joins the grid ahead of Formula 1’s biggest technical reset in the sport’s history, with all-new cars and engine regulations in play.

The cars will feature active aerodynamics for the first time, while the engines will run on a 50/50 split between electrical energy and combustion.

Both the Racing Bulls F1 car and the Red Bull RB22 will be powered by Red Bull Powertrain’s first in-house engine, designed by the Milton Keynes team with technical input from Ford.

The cars will hit the track for the first time on January 26 when the teams head to Barcelona for a behind-closed-doors test before two tests follow in Bahrain from February 11-13 and 18-20.

Alan Permane, Racing Bulls team boss, said: “2026 represents one of the biggest technical changes Formula One has seen, and partnering with Ford at the very start of this journey is hugely significant for us.

“The Red Bull Ford Powertrains project brings together world-class engineering, innovation and racing DNA, and it puts us in a strong position as the sport enters this new era.

“We have been working closely together and are proud of what the Red Bull family have developed. It’s something we’re excited to have in our race car as we hit the track in the coming weeks.”

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