Wet debut, lucky debut. But not always. Racing Bulls sent its 2026 single-seater on track for the first time for the Formula 1 World Championship today, taking advantage of the 15 kilometers available for the shakedown. But for Arvid Lindblad things didn’t go as he would have liked.
On a track in Imola made increasingly treacherous by the rain – it has been falling incessantly since this morning – the driver who will turn 19 on August 8 was the unfortunate protagonist of an off-track exit.
Arriving at Villeneuve, Arvid lost control of the VCARB03, which took to the track with Full Wet demo tires to try to cope with the large amount of rain that had fallen, and ended up in the sand.
Fortunately, the car should not have suffered any major damage, even if it caused the ideal red flag for remaining stationary off the track.
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Photo by: Davide Cavazza
Lindblad’s VCARB03 – who, we remind you, took over from Liam Lawson after the car’s first lap at 12.26pm today – was recovered by a tow truck, covered with a blue tarpaulin and brought back to the Faenza team’s garage for the first checks.
The new single-seater has therefore only completed one lap so far after some problems encountered during the morning. He will still have 2 laps available today, before the filming day which will take place tomorrow again at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola with the two starting drivers, therefore Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad.
Certainly not the best possible start for the London native, but it’s worth remembering what happened to Isack Hadjar at the Australian Grand Prix. After the sensational mistake at Albert Park, the Parisian was the author of a debut season worth remembering.
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