In the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Oliver Bearman, the Ferrari Reserve Driver, expressed his delight at receiving compliments from multiple Formula 1 champions. Bearman, who was initially preparing for his Formula 2 duties, was called up to make his F1 debut due to Carlos Sainz’s appendicitis diagnosis. Despite having limited practice time, Bearman came incredibly close to outperforming Lewis Hamilton in qualifying, missing out 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 felt strange not to watch a Formula 1 race, as it was the first time in a long while that he had missed one. Despite his young age, Bearman found it cool to race against drivers he had admired while growing up, and he was grateful for their recognition. Max Verstappen, the reigning F1 champion, also praised Bearman, stating that he couldn’t have expected 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 that it is only a matter of time before Bearman joins them on the Formula 1 grid. Bearman admitted that he was uncertain about what else he needed to accomplish after his impressive audition, but he emphasizes that his main focus now is on making up for lost ground in Formula 2. “Although I was disappointed not to finish the weekend after securing pole position in Formula 2, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity like this,” he stated. “I am extremely pleased that I took the chance, and I believe I performed well. However, my attention now shifts back to Formula 2, and it will be a challenging championship for me since I am two rounds behind everyone else. Bahrain was a different situation, but here, I could have earned some valuable points. At this point, I have more points in Formula 1 than in Formula 2, so I still have some work to do.”