The youngest ever rookie for the Italian team, at the age of 18 years and 305 days, started in 11th place and finished in seventh place as a replacement for Carlos Sainz, who was unable to compete in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendicitis.
When he crossed the finish line, he had Lando Norris from McLaren, who was previously the youngest driver from Britain, and Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time F1 World Champion and the most successful driver in the sport, behind him.
“I have no idea what happened during the race,” he told reporters, as praise for his performance under the floodlights of the Jeddah Corniche echoed throughout the paddock. “It’s strange not to watch an F1 race.
“It’s probably the first F1 race I haven’t watched in a long time,” he added. “I grew up watching these guys compete, so it was nice to share the track with them. It was a pleasure to receive their recognition.”
Praise came from all sides, with Charles Leclerc, his teammate at Ferrari who finished third, assuring reporters that Bearman, who initially only focused on Formula Two for the weekend, was just getting started.
“Today he has been incredible,” Leclerc said. “It’s extremely impressive, and I’m sure he’s very proud. Everyone has noticed his talent, and I’m certain it won’t be long before he’s in F1.”
Hamilton, who made his F1 debut in 2007 when Bearman was not even two years old and finished ninth in Saturday’s race, was the first to offer a handshake and embrace as his fellow countryman stepped out of the Ferrari.
“He definitely deserves it, and I’m sure we’ll see more of him in the future,” said Norris, who also congratulated Bearman for being the 66th driver since the start of the championship in 1950 to score points on his debut.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur mentioned that Bearman, who was making his first start and pit stops in F1 after previously only participating in practice sessions, did not make a single mistake and even managed to increase his speed towards the end to fend off Norris and Hamilton.
“Right from the beginning of the event, he showed great stability, provided valuable feedback, and remained calm on the radio,” Vasseur said.
Bearman stated that he approached the start of the race like any other and acknowledged, with modesty, that having a fast car was also advantageous.
“The car was performing exceptionally well today, so that’s obviously a major advantage, but I believe we executed a flawless race without any mistakes, and that’s exactly what we aimed for. I’m satisfied with my performance,” he said.
He also pointed out that he now has more points in Formula 1 than in Formula 2.
“I don’t know what else I can do because I don’t think I’ll be in F1 for the rest of the year,” he said. “So my goal was to put on a great performance this weekend, and I think I did a decent job. That’s all I can do.
“I think I’ll enjoy a nice, substantial dinner tonight. Maybe even a big dessert. I think I’ve earned it,” he added, acknowledging that a burger might be a more realistic choice considering the team debrief is scheduled to end at midnight. (Written by Alan Baldwin)