Arvid Lindblad Spent Singapore Talking About His Grandparents
On the sidelines of the Singapore Grand Prix, the Racing Bulls rookie described time with his Indian grandparents: food, cricket, and a March clip of his grandmother. He is 11th, on 38 points, after a wet sprint that ended in a spin.
SINGAPORE — Arvid Lindblad used the Singapore paddock to talk about his mother's parents.
The 19-year-old Racing Bulls driver told the Press Trust of India he has been proud of his Indian roots his whole life, and that he has only lately shown it in public. "I really spend a lot of time with my nani and nana, having Indian food or watching cricket all together," he said.
When he is back in Britain, temples and gurudwaras are part of that routine. Ahead of a promotional trip to India in March, a clip of his grandmother putting a tika on his forehead traveled far enough that PTI put the views in the millions.
His father is Swedish. His mother is British Indian. He said he belongs to both, and that these days the longer visits are with his mum's parents. Sweden was where he went as a kid. India is the trip he has been making lately.
His grandparents grew up there. His mother had gone often, and his father has been too. Lindblad said he had heard the stories at home, and that the country only became real on the first visit. He called it eye-opening.
He was born in London, joined Red Bull's junior program for a first full season in 2021, and is the only rookie on the 2026 grid. He races for Racing Bulls, Red Bull's second team.
The results are why the interview has an audience. He came to Singapore 11th in the championship, on 38 points, and told PTI he had been in the points in 11 of his last 15 races. At Sepang the weekend before, where Malaysia hosted the Bahrain Grand Prix, he started last after an engine penalty and finished 10th. A point from the back of the grid, he said, was more than he and the team had imagined.
Saturday's sprint went the other way. In the wet he spun and finished 13th. His Racing Bulls teammate, Liam Lawson, finished fifth. Lindblad's 38 points stayed where they were, with the grand prix still on Sunday's schedule.
India's last grand prix was in 2013, at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. In September the sports ministry formed a task force to study whether a 2028 race is feasible. Lindblad said he has heard there is a push. He called the old circuit amazing, and said a return would be very special because of his roots. The task force is a study. Nobody has a date.
He said the extra support feels good. It does not feel like pressure.
For Indian American and Indian Canadian households who already stay up for Marina Bay, the interview is the part that lands at home. A driver with a Swedish last name spent the weekend talking about his nani and nana. Yuki Tsunoda's season has been a fight over a seat. Lindblad's answer in Singapore was about the grandparents he keeps going back to.
If a grand prix in India ever gets past that study, he will already be familiar from a family photo. This weekend the race is still Singapore.