MOTOR RACING: Racing Bulls rookie Lindblad savors 'nuts' F1 debut

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad savoured a memorable Formula One debut on Sunday as the teen talent battled Max Verstappen and claimed championship points for the Red Bull feeder team.

The youngest-ever British F1 racer, 18-year-old Lindblad started ninth on the grid at Albert Park and finished eighth in a race won by Mercedes' George Russell, leaving his 13th-placed Racing Bulls teammate Liam Lawson in the shade.

Having barely put a foot wrong through the whole weekend, Lindblad said he was living the dream.

"I'm pretty speechless to be honest, it was a pretty nuts race," he told Sky.

"Coming into the weekend, points were not on the expectations.

"I had hopes after yesterday but I'm extremely happy. I'm extremely grateful to everyone from the team .... for giving me the package to fight.

"But to be honest, saying points on debut doesn't really summarise the race. (The) Big P3 at one point in lap one was a lot more than I expected.

"I think I showed people a bit of what I am here to do."

Lindblad's effort was reminiscent of Kimi Antonelli's impressive debut at Albert Park last year when the 18-year-old Italian came fourth for Mercedes and became the youngest F1 debutant to score points.

Antonelli was runner-up behind teammate Russell on Sunday, as Mercedes dominated the season-opener.

Lindblad, the only debutant starting the F1 season, defended valiantly against Red Bull's four-times world champion Verstappen, who started 20th on the grid after a crash in qualifying.

Verstappen eventually got the better of the teen racer, finishing sixth, but Lindblad relished the battle.

"I have a lot of respect for the senior guys in the sport who have done an amazing job but I am also not going to roll over and give them the place," he said.

"I am here to fight and when I am in the car, I am a ruthless competitor, I am going to take every inch that I can get."

-Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters