“It surprisingly felt like any other race,” says Oliver Bearman. But that wasn’t exactly it: Bearman contested his first race in Formula 1 at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah as a substitute for Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz – and, starting eleventh on the grid, scored his first world championship points in seventh place.
“My goal was to put in a good performance this weekend. I think I did a good job. That’s all I can do,” says Bearman.
The 18-year-old Brit definitely impressed the Formula 1 fans: they voted him “Driver of the Race”. But that wasn’t the only honor Bearman received after his Grand Prix debut.
Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur, for example, said on Sky that Bearman had exceeded expectations and performed admirably in a difficult situation with only one free practice session before qualifying. “That was very solid,” says Vasseur. “He didn’t make a single mistake in the race and overall did a fantastic job.”
Even the competition pays respect: Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff raves on Sky about the “level of the boys who come up through the tough Formula 3 and Formula 2” and says: “I think it’s at such a high level because the competition is easy has become so strong. And you can see it.”
Red Bull sports director Helmut Marko also made a similar statement on “Sky” and “clearly” sees Bearman as the man of the hour in Formula 1. Even though Ferrari “threw him into the deep end” and Jeddah is “not an easy track”. , Bearman solved his task “flawlessly or sensationally”. “One can only congratulate,” says Marko.
Leclerc was already convinced after three laps
Ferrari regular driver Charles Leclerc, who finished the Grand Prix four positions ahead of Bearman in P3, also expressly joins the long line of well-wishers. But it’s not so much his own podium finish, but rather Bearman’s debut that is “outstanding,” says Leclerc. Bearman deserves the praise that is now being showered on him, but you “completely” deserve it.
“He did great from the third free practice session. He was immediately into the music in qualifying and narrowly missed Q3. He was incredible in the race. Seventh in the first Formula 1 Grand Prix after he [zur Vorbereitung] only had the third training session. And in a car that was new to him. That’s super impressive.”
Leclerc says that “the first three laps” in training were enough for him to know that Bearman’s debut would be a success: “I watched it from the pits. I thought to myself: ‘Oh God, it’s just that third round and he’s already into it!’ He was so close to the walls and was pushing like crazy. He was good with the car right from the start.”
Bearman’s way to the points
So well that he didn’t let anything bother him about the race distance, not even from his much more experienced colleagues around him. It’s “a little different” in Formula 1 than in Formula 2, says Bearman, but “you concentrate” and then it works. “We managed it pretty well.”
You can put it this way: By the early pit stop on lap seven, Bearman had already gained a position and, after the safety car phase, defeated first Guanyu Zhou in the Sauber and then Nico Hülkenberg in the Haas. He then benefited from his tire strategy and managed to get past both of them during the late stops of Lando Norris in the McLaren and Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes.
What it’s like to race with your idols
Bearman himself describes it as a “great race” and says: “I knew with five laps to go that if I stayed clean, then I could keep the position.”
“We had the faster car. That helps. The car practically flew. That’s of course a big bonus. But we also got through the race cleanly, without any mistakes. That’s how I imagined it would be. That’s why I’m happy with my performance .”
And of course it was “cool” to race in the same race as the men he had looked up to for years, said Bearman. When Hamilton won his first world championship title in 2008, he wasn’t even of kindergarten age. Now, as a seven-time Formula 1 world champion, Hamilton came over to congratulate immediately after crossing the finish line.
“Lewis basically pulled me out of the car because I was having a hard time,” Bearman says. “It was a really physically demanding race on a track with very little tire wear, but with fairly high g-forces. You basically do 50 qualifying laps here.” It is even nicer to experience the recognition of your colleagues at the end.
Leclerc demands a new chance for Bearman
For regular Ferrari driver Leclerc, this is self-evident: “Everyone has seen how talented he is. And I guess it’s only a matter of time before Oliver [dauerhaft] comes to Formula 1. He has a bright future ahead of him. And he should get his chance in Formula 1 as soon as possible.”
In fact, Bearman is already booked with Ferrari customer team Haas: He will take part in a total of six Friday training sessions for the US racing team in 2024, four more than specified in the regulations. “Hopefully this will open a door for me,” says Bearman. “That would be fantastic. Because I don’t know what else I can do.”
But the rest of the program has already been decided: Bearman is driving in the Formula 2 junior class this year and is also available as a Ferrari replacement driver. In addition, “many things are planned with Ferrari” outside of the racing weekends: Bearman will sit in the simulator and do real test drives with older Ferrari Formula 1 cars.
Is Bearman already sure of the Haas regular place in 2025?
To then get a regular place at Haas in 2025? In any case, team boss Ayao Komatsu says he “definitely” has Bearman on his radar. So is the Haas cockpit the next step? “Yes, maybe,” says Ferrari team boss Vasseur.
But he doesn’t want to look too far into the future: “The result from Jeddah will be behind us in a few weeks. Then Oliver has to concentrate on Formula 2.”
“He has a big task ahead of him. Because the weekend cost him a lot: he would have started from pole position in Formula 2. Getting back into the title fight will be a challenge.”
Bearman himself sees it that way: “I now have even more points in Formula 1 than in Formula 2! So I still have a lot to do. It’s going to be a tough season from now on, because the others are now practically two race weekends ahead of me . But I’m now concentrating on Formula 2 again.”Now let’s get something to eat!Or will Bearman be needed again as Sainz’s replacement at the next Formula 1 race in Melbourne? “We’ll probably only make the decision in Melbourne,” says Vasseur.
Ultimately it depends on Sainz’s recovery after the appendectomy. But Sainz was already back in the paddock on race Saturday. “He seems to be recovering well,” Bearman said. “I’m glad. Because of course it’s his car. I guess he will [für Melbourne] be all right. And I hope the same for him.”
He himself will now let everything sink in – as soon as the debriefing with the Ferrari engineers is complete. “That will be around midnight,” says Bearman. “Then there’s a nice, big dinner with a big dessert. Maybe it’ll be fast food, a burger. But I think I deserve that.”