Arvid Lindblad Picks Unique Number 41 for F1 Debut
Racing Bulls’ newest driver has made his first big decision before even getting behind the wheel.
“I thought 41 was the coolest of the three. And also I quite liked it because it’s not really a number that’s been used before,” Lindblad explained about his race number choice for 2026.
The 18-year-old Brit will be the only rookie on the Formula 1 grid next season. He’s stepping into the seat at Racing Bulls after Isack Hadjar got promoted to the main Red Bull team as Max Verstappen‘s new teammate.
Picking a permanent race number is a big deal for F1 drivers. It becomes part of their identity throughout their career.
Speaking at the Red Bull launch event in Detroit, Lindblad shared the story behind his decision.
“It’s actually quite funny. I was talking with someone who helps from Red Bull. We were having dinner once, and we were talking about the number, and she suggested 41, 45, and 51, kind of from my name.”
The young driver admitted he initially had no clear preference.
“Because she asked me what I thought and I was like, ‘I have no idea.'”
What made 41 stand out? Lindblad liked that it wasn’t already famous in sports.
“A lot of the lower numbers have been used in other sports and they’re very associated to someone. So I thought it was cool to have a number that’s not really been used before.”
The number also has a personal connection, subtly linking to his initials.
“And then obviously, yeah, from my name, the initials, you can kind of see it. So yeah, I thought it was quite cool.”
## Verstappen Gets Ricciardo’s Famous Number 3
Lindblad isn’t the only Red Bull driver getting a new number in 2026.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen will be switching his number too. Unlike Lindblad’s fresh pick, Verstappen’s new number has F1 history – it previously belonged to Daniel Ricciardo.
During the same Red Bull event, Verstappen revealed how he convinced Ricciardo to give up his iconic number 3. You can read the full story about that conversation here!
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