Arvid Lindblad sees Mexico as a step towards recovering his driving confidence, despite a collision ending his Grand Prix. The Racing Bulls rookie felt he was genuinely competing with Oscar Piastri and that his driving was closer to its usual level than in the preceding rounds.
Formula 1’s November 3 report carried his reaction after the November 1 race. Lindblad said he had not yet reviewed all the footage and would withhold a full assessment of the collision. His immediate focus was instead the pace that allowed the two drivers to sustain their contest.
A prolonged fight for seventh
Lindblad emerged ahead of Piastri after the restart following the red flag, and the pair fought for seventh. According to Lindblad, Piastri remained behind him for more than ten laps. He was committed to defending the position rather than making an outside pass easy for his rival.
Piastri subsequently attacked around the outside at Turn 1. Contact with the left-rear of Lindblad’s car sent the Racing Bulls driver into the wall and retirement. Piastri received a ten-second post-race penalty for the collision. A lengthy battle for points therefore ended without a finish for Lindblad.
Crashes had disrupted his rhythm and confidence
His positive assessment of Mexico also reflected the difficult period that preceded it. Lindblad said two crashes in Madrid and Baku had interrupted his rhythm, leaving him less confident about pushing the car to its limit.
He felt that loss more clearly in races. Qualifying remained reasonably manageable, but race pace had become a weakness over recent rounds. In Mexico he felt more like himself again, which left him looking forward to Brazil.
INKA SPORTS Analysis and Summary: The result and the driving experience tell different stories
Retirement and renewed confidence are not contradictory findings. One describes what the race delivered; the other is the driver’s assessment of his sustained performance. Lindblad located the improvement specifically in race pace rather than a single qualifying lap, making competitiveness over a prolonged battle the relevant measure.
That explains how a weekend without points could still provide encouraging feedback. Mexico gave him a different driving experience from his recent difficulties, although it did not yield a finish. Brazil offers the next opportunity to see whether that confidence can last through a complete race and produce a more consistent result.
