Milton Keynes, England — 

Arvid Lindblad smiles as he studies his racing helmet.

For Formula One’s latest generational talent, this isn’t just another helmet on another race weekend: This one is personal.

The teen Racing Bulls driver will take to the iconic Interlagos circuit in São Paulo this weekend donning a custom-designed Diwali lid to celebrate the festival of lights which this year happens to fall on race day.

Born in the UK to a Swedish father and a mother of Punjabi roots, he races under a British license but carries all three flags on his helmet – the Union Jack, the Swedish flag and the Indian tricolor.

“It’s an interesting mix … quite a rare one, but all three have played a big role in who I am and the way I was raised,” he tells CNN Sports at the team’s factory in Milton Keynes, England.

“I’m very proud to represent India, it’s a part of who I am so to bring part of India back to F1 for me is, is very cool.

“If maybe that can help inspire some young people, I think for me that would be amazing.”

Connecting with his roots

Lindblad’s rise up the motorsports ladder has been nothing short of rapid.

After a grounding in competitive karting, one of the hottest prospects in the sport moved to single seaters in 2022 and hasn’t looked back.

He progressed from Formula Three to Formula Two and then Formula One in consecutive years.

As he lined up at the season opening Grand Prix in Australia earlier this year, he did so not only as the sole rookie on the grid but just the third driver of Indian origin to race in F1, following in the footsteps of Karun Chandhok and Narain Karthikeyan.

The further he’s risen in the sport, the more he’s come to embrace his Indian heritage, driven by his close bond with his grandparents from his mother’s side.

They moved from Delhi to the United Kingdom to start a new life following the 1947 partition.

“They were very young, so they lost everything and had to work incredibly hard as doctors,” he explains.

It’s that grit and determination – also instilled in him by his parents – that he credits with keeping him grounded and taking him to the very top of the sport.

“I’ve been so confident from an early age to sort of chase my dreams because I’ve seen what they did, and I think for me I wasn’t afraid of saying when I was five that I wanted to be in Formula One and chasing that,” he says.

“I’m very aware that I’m very fortunate to do this sport. Unfortunately, it’s not accessible to everyone. I would prefer if it was because I think then the level would be higher.”

Lindblad recalls how his grandparents would attend his races as a seven-year-old go-karter in northern England, providing Indian food and support, and how during his family’s Diwali celebrations he and his nani (maternal grandmother) would make Rangolis and cook traditional dishes.

“From an early age, I’ve just been exposed to the sort of Indian customs and traditions, and it just feels very much like home to me and the normal,” he says.

And it’ll be a full circle moment this weekend as his grandparents will be in attendance to witness their grandson in an F1 car for the very first time.

Lindblad too hopes that one day they’ll get the chance to see him compete on Indian soil.

The last time an F1 race was held in the country was back in 2013.

“Going back, it would be a like a second home race which obviously would be very special,” he explains.

“They would never had imagined their grandson would be in Formula One but even more so be driving on at the Buddh International Circuit itself, so I think it would be very cool.”

Inspired by Lewis Hamilton

The 19-year-old will once again line up on a grid featuring seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

He says that it’s partly due to his own multicultural background that he came to idolize the Brit more than any other driver as he took his first forays into the sport.

“He was the only one of color, so I related to him,” he tells CNN Sports.

“I thought it was cool that his rookie year (2007) was the year I was born, so he was the one who I sort of looked up to the most growing up.”

While Lindblad is proud of his roots and aware of the increasing attention that comes as a burgeoning role model, his immediate focus is on racing.

“I’m going be honest almost all the focus is basically on the driving,” admits the driver.

“For one, I’m still very young. I haven’t really got the awareness of the world and knowledge of life to be able to try to vouch for being a role model.

“I don’t think I’m at that stage yet and there’s a lot for me to learn on the driving side.

“When I’m older and I understand more, I think it is important that I use that platform for the right reasons.”

‘I wanted it so badly’

With four races remaining on the 2026 calendar, Racing Bulls has yet to confirm its driver line-up for next year.

Despite his relative inexperience, Lindblad has impressed in his debut season.

He finished eighth in his maiden race in Australia, becoming the third-youngest points scorer in the sport’s history, referring to it as a “pinch me moment … you sometimes get a bit carried away by the weight of what’s really happening.”

A sixth-place finish on the streets of Monaco is his highest to date.

While there have been mistakes, he’s taken the sport in stride and says the best is yet to come.

“I’ve been very well prepared through the Red Bull program. There’s obviously been a lot for me to learn,” he reflects.

“I’ve been pushed very hard, I’ve come very quickly through the ranks.

“I wanted it so badly that I struggled to envision a future where I wasn’t in Formula One.

“It’s been a dream being in Formula One … Overall, it’s been very positive, and I can look back very happy on the first year.”