Key Points

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Arvid reflected on how his debut season in the Formula 2 has fared so far, his journey into the sport, ambitions of becoming world champion, and more.

Q. How has your debut F2 season been so far?

AL: The first part of the season was very good. It was a really positive trajectory. I think it was going very well. I think there was a few moments where we were a bit unlucky, but in general, we were really competitive with the first few rounds. And then so from Redbull Ring through to Hungary, there was just a bit of a lack of pace. Just in general, in the team, we struggled a little bit.

We were more sort of fighting in the sprint races than the feature races. But yeah, then this week, the team worked hard over the summer, and I felt a lot more competitive this week. IIt was a shame about the feature race, but I felt generally a lot faster. And it was good to be fighting in the front again"

Q. What drove you into a life in motorsports?

My motorsport sort of journey and the start of my motorsport life came from my dad, but even more than that, from my paternal grandfather. He's an avid motorsport fan. He'd watch anything, you know, with wheels and an engine. And yeah, with my dad, they did a little bit of motocross when he was in his teenage years. But that had to stop because they didn't really have the funding for it.

When I was three, my dad bought me my first motocross bike. So I started with that. It didn't last very long. I didn't have an immediate sort of passion for it. And I think my mum, it was a bit daunting for her to see a little three-year-old on a motocross bike. So that sort of died out quite quickly. But yeah, I got sort of the passion for motorsport there. And then when I was five, I went karting for the first time and that is how it all started."

Q. Having rapidly progressed through the ranks up to F2, how do you deal with the added pressure?

I've come through the ranks very quickly. It's not been easy. I guess my whole life I've kind of been used to being thrown in the deep end. In one regard, it's been challenging, but I'm used to that sort of challenge. So it's been difficult, but I feel like I've coped with it in a good way.

Q. You made history by becoming the youngest driver to win a F2 race in the Jeddah Sprint Race, what was that feeling like?

AL: It was a nice feeling. It was cool. I mean, to be honest, it was nice to break the record, but for me it was more just nice to have won a race in F2 and to sort of have really got the season started because it was a bit unfortunate in Melbourne. We had an issue in qualifying when I was in the fight for pole. Bahrain was not a very good weekend. We were fast in the races, but it wasn't really challenging for the podium. So 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.

Q. How has it been learning from the best in the Red Bull Junior Programme?

AL: I'm very fortunate to have been sort of picked up by the Red Bull program. I joined the program at the end of 2020 when I just turned 13. So I was very young, but I've been very lucky and I've learned a lot under the sort of, with the help of Red Bull and especially (Helmut) Marko and Rocky. They've really helped me develop into the driver I am today. I wouldn't be in the position I am without them. So they've helped me massively.

Q. Is there any driver you look up to for inspiration?

AL: 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 color 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 that I felt sort of the closest relation to 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 idolize. But I'd say I just look up to them all.

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.

Q. What kind of mindset do you need to succeed in a highly competitive environment like Formula 1?

AL: You need to be very determined. I think that's the biggest thing. I think like all sports, you need to be very determined and driven. And you need to have a big sort of drive and inner grit to be able to push through the challenging moments and also filter out the noise, to be able to stay focused and on your path to get to the top.

Q. How does it feel to represent India on a global stage?

AL: 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.

Q. What do you dream to achieve in the sport?

AL: I'd like to become a Formula One champion. That's my goal. That was my goal when I started this journey at five years old. Yeah, that's what I'm determined to achieve.

- IANS