New Delhi, Sep 8 : Eighteen-year-old Formula 2 sensation Arvid Lindblad, who has Indian roots from his mother's side, is very proud to represent Indian heritage on a global stage and revealed that it is something he carries with him. In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Lindblad reflected on representing the Indian lineage and spoke on drawing inspiration from seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

"I'm very proud of my Indian heritage. My mum is Indian and I'm very proud of that. I carry that with me. I've been sort of raised in the UK, but I've been very close to my grandparents and really raised in Indian culture. And it's something I'm very proud of. It's something that is very much part of my life,' Lindblad told IANS.

He currently sits in seventh spot in the FIA F2 Championship while driving for Campos Racing.

Lindblad is also a part of Redbull's Junior Drivers Programme and is learning from the absolute best in the sport while also claiming he would not be where he is if it were not for the instrumental support of the team, especially Helmut Marko.

When it comes to drawing inspiration, Lindblad did not have to look further than the only black driver in F1 history to win a World Championship, let alone seven, in Lewis Hamilton.

"Growing up, Lewis was the one I sort of looked up to the most. When I started karting, there weren't really many people of colour, and I found that to be quite a nice link. Also, I thought it was cool. His first year in F1 was the year I was born, and he was doing very well when I started getting into the sport. He was the one with whom I felt the closest relation in the beginning. And then as I've sort of come up through the ranks, I'd say that there's no one that I really idolise. But I'd say I just look up to them all,' he said.

Any conversation regarding the greatest drivers in the sport is incomplete without three-time defending champion Max Verstappen. "I have an immense respect for them all. I mean, the level that the drivers compete at now in F1 is extremely high. Obviously, Max, I think especially, is competing at a really high level. I mean, what he's doing at the moment, I think we've not really seen before in F1.

Lindblad stepped up to FIA Formula 2 with Campos Racing in 2025 after a lone season in Formula 3, where he finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship thanks to his four victories. After having already claimed the record of becoming the youngest to win a race in F3, he then went on to break the same record in F2, with a win in the 2025 Jeddah Sprint race. The 18-year-old reflected on the historic achievement, whilst also claiming that being on top of the podium in F3 was more special in terms of context.

'It was good to just sort of get the season started in Jeddah. I mean, obviously, it was a special feeling to have broken another record like I did in F3, but I'd say the record in F3 in my first race was a bit more special. The record itself meant more than in F2. It was just nice to sort of have won the race, knowing how challenging the step was and just to really get the season started,' he concluded.

/IANS