In the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Oliver Bearman, Ferrari’s reserve driver, expressed his satisfaction at receiving praise from several Formula 1 champions. Bearman, who was initially preparing for his duties in Formula 2, was called up to make his F1 debut due to Carlos Sainz’s appendicitis diagnosis. Despite having little training time, Bearman came very close to beating Lewis Hamilton in qualifying, losing by just 0.036 seconds. During the race, Bearman showcased his overtaking skills and took advantage of a well-timed Safety Car period to finish ahead of Hamilton and Lando Norris in seventh place. Reflecting on his achievement, Bearman stated that it was a fantastic race and that he was aware of the pressure from his more experienced compatriots behind him. He acknowledged that the Soft tires did not perform as expected for Hamilton and Norris, allowing him to maintain his position. Bearman also admitted that it was strange not to watch a Formula 1 race, as it was the first time in a long time that he missed one. Despite his young age, Bearman found it cool to compete against drivers he admired while growing up, and he was grateful for their recognition. Max Verstappen, the current F1 champion, also praised Bearman, stating that he could not expect more from the young Ferrari prospect in Jeddah.
In other places, Charles Leclerc, a full-time driver for Ferrari, and George Russell, from Mercedes, believe it is only a matter of time before Bearman joins them on the Formula 1 grid. Bearman admitted he was uncertain about what else he needed to achieve after his impressive audition, but emphasizes that his main focus now is to make up for lost time in Formula 2. “Although I was disappointed not to finish the weekend after securing pole position in Formula 2, I couldn’t miss an opportunity like this,” he said. “I am extremely pleased to have seized the chance and believe I did well. However, my attention now turns to Formula 2, and it will be a challenging championship for me, as I am two rounds behind everyone else. Bahrain was a different situation, but here I could have scored some valuable points. At this moment, I have more points in Formula 1 than in Formula 2, so I still have work to do.”
