Arvid Lindblad has no intention of following, at least for now, the tradition that leads many Formula 1 drivers to settle in Monaco in order to maintain a certain balance of “normal” life.
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At only 18 years old, the Racing Bulls rookie prefers to maintain as normal a life as possible outside the circuits and stay away from the permanent F1 world that characterizes the Principality.
The presence of his family and the environment in which he grew up are of primary importance at this stage of his career to keep his feet on the ground.
Search for normality
“There are several reasons. The first is very simple. The Formula 1 season is so intense that, when I want to unwind, I really want to completely disconnect from racing, he explains. Monaco is Formula 1 even when you are not on a circuit. The drivers are there, the teams are there, everyone is constantly talking about racing. I do not want to live in that environment.”
Lindblad would thus like to live in a quiet place, far from the sea, where he could keep his anonymity: “I would prefer to live somewhere by the sea, in a quiet place where no one recognizes me. A place where I can go to the movies, take walks, meet my friends or simply live like any other young person. That is really important to me.”
This desire to preserve a certain normality is all the more important since his life has revolved around motorsport since his childhood: “Since I was a child, my life has been completely different from that of my friends. When I am on a circuit, I want to be a Formula 1 driver. But when I go home, I just want to be an 18-year-old. I want a normal life. And where I currently live, that is exactly what I have.”
An exemplary family background
His choice is also deeply linked to his family history. Lindblad explains he grew up in a family that had to work extremely hard to succeed: “My father raced a bit when he was younger, but certainly not because we had money. Quite the opposite. My grandparents had nothing. There were times when my father even struggled to eat three meals a day. At 11 or 12 years old, he was already working.”
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The story of his maternal family also shaped his view of success and money: “My grandparents came from Pakistan. At one point, they lost everything. Literally everything. Overnight, they owned nothing, except the clothes they wore and what they could carry with them. They came to the UK and had to rebuild their lives from scratch. They worked very hard as doctors to build a future.”
This upbringing partly explains his ambition, but also his discomfort with the image of wealth associated with Monaco: ” I grew up surrounded by people who earned everything through their work. I think that is one of the reasons why I have always been so determined. That is simply how I was raised. For me, settling for an ordinary life was never an option. I have always wanted to achieve something special. “
Not feeling at home in Monaco
Although he acknowledges that daily life in Monaco can be much more normal than its image suggests, Lindblad still does not see himself living there: “In my mind, I still struggle with the idea of living in a place that represents the ultimate symbol of wealth. When I think of my father who struggled to eat three meals a day when he was young and my grandparents who lost everything, it almost feels out of place. It is a personal feeling. I am not saying Monaco is a bad place. It is just that this idea does not make me comfortable.”
The Racing Bulls driver nevertheless recognizes the contradictions that now accompany his status as an F1 driver: “Of course, I remain a normal guy. Sometimes, I like to buy something nice. Maybe, from that point of view, I am a bit contradictory. But that is how I see things today.”
For Lindblad, the priority is therefore clear: to be fully a Formula 1 driver when he is on the circuits, while maintaining as normal a life as possible when he goes home.
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