Red Bull's Lindblad reveals 'connection' with Hamilton: 'Was the only one'
F1 News
Red Bull's young star Arvid Lindblad has admitted that he has always idolised seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton. Although part of the Red Bull academy, the 17-year-old admits that he has always looked up to Hamilton throughout his motorsport journey, pointing out the fact that he could identify with his fellow Brit as a person of colour.
Arvid Lindblad has created a storm in every junior series he has ever competed in, with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko pointing him out to be extremely talented. The Brit will be driving for Campos in Formula 2 in 2025 after making his mark in Formula 3 in 2024, where he won four races and scored five podiums. At just 17 years old, the youngster is doubtlessly a star of the future.
Sunday winners at Silverstone. A weekend that will live long in the memory. #F1 - Lewis Hamilton#F2 - Isack Hadjar #F3 - Arvid Lindblad #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/25YOmZ9Dll
— FIA (@fia) July 7, 2024
Lindblad took the F3 feature race victory on the same weekend his idol won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last year.
Lindblad: 'Always felt some sort of connection with Hamilton'
On the Inside Line Podcast, Lindblad was asked who his sporting idols were. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton stand out for the Red Bull academy driver. "I've always felt some sense of connection to Lewis, obviously being a man of colour. At the time when sort of I started watching Formula One, he was the only one really.
For some reason, I also thought it was cool that he started racing in Formula One in 2007. I was born in 2007. So yeah, if I'm being honest, I mean, he was the one who I always felt quite connected with," Lindblad revealed.
"When I started really following the sport, he (Hamilton) was the one who was sort of taking it by the reins and winning." Lindblad points to Hamilton's dominance throughout his formative years. The former Mercedes won the world championship six times between 2014 and 2020.
Hamilton has since started life with Ferrari after a few difficult years with Mercedes. The 105-time Grand Prix winner will be hoping to beat Max Verstappen to his fifth consecutive world title. "Even for me, I mean, it's hard to really compare the two (Verstappen and Hamilton) because I think there are very different stages of their career," Lindblad explained.
Lindblad lyrical over Hamilton and Verstappen
"They're very different drivers. I mean, Lewis, I don't think anyone can really doubt his talent. What he's been able to achieve has been remarkable. And he'll always be known as one of the greats of the sport. Max is, maybe now he's not up and coming, but he's still very young. And I think he's just extremely impressive."
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