Exclusive: Liam Lawson branded 'perfect benchmark' in Arvid Lindblad development

Arvid Lindblad's manager, reigning Formula E world champion Oliver Rowland, has described Liam Lawson as the "perfect benchmark" for the young Briton.

Lindblad's move into Formula 1 has so far gone seamlessly, with the 19-year-old instantly adjusting to the intense environment.

He has performed excellently across the opening 11 rounds and is currently on a run of six consecutive points finishes.

Lindblad's best result of 2026 so far is seventh in Monaco and Silverstone, with him sitting on 23 points in total. Mistakes have been few and far between for the young driver, who looks set for a bright future in F1.

Key to Lindblad's growth this year has been Lawson, who is having the season of his life on the other side of the Racing Bulls garage.

Lawson has scored points in eight races, including two sixth-place finishes in Monaco and Silverstone, putting him on 43 points.

The New Zealander is doing exactly what is needed to retain his seat with Red Bull's sister team and has proven to be a strong partner for Lindblad.

Being alongside Lawson has allowed Lindblad to compare himself to one of the strongest midfield drivers, with Rowland deeming it a strong pairing.

Asked whether Lawson is a good teammate for Lindblad, Rowland told RacingNews365 during an interview: "He is the perfect benchmark for us.

"I mean, this guy has got more experience, is a little bit older. He's also very, very calm, and there are no games going on, which is really, really refreshing, actually, for someone so young, and it just helps the team focus on what they want to do. 

"And I think for us, he's been fantastic, and yeah, we couldn't really have dreamed of a better scenario for Arvid to learn in, and hopefully they can both keep getting really good results."

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