Oliver Bearman was a daring choice made by Ferrari to serve as the backup driver for Maranello in 2024.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix presented a lot of uncertainty for the Ferrari team. Due to a medical emergency, the Italian team needed a substitute to fill in for Carlos Sainz. As evident from the results, reserve driver Oliver Bearman surpassed expectations and finished in 7th place. This prompted Fred Vasseur to delve into the reasons behind selecting the 18-year-old as the Scuderia’s third driver for 2024.
Carlos Sainz’s absence was due to appendicitis, which forced him to miss the race. As a result, the team chose the 18-year-old rookie to take his place. Bearman, in his Formula 1 debut, achieved a 7th place finish and earned points. He expressed his joy at scoring points and also discussed the challenges he faced during the race.
Team principal Fred Vasseur provided an explanation for choosing Bearman over other options. Vasseur stated that it wouldn’t be practical to ask Giovinazzi to race in Formula 1 while fulfilling his Le Mans Hypercar duties. The Italian driver was already involved in the LMH program and couldn’t compete in both categories simultaneously.
In addition, Vasseur emphasized the significance of the LMH program and how it presents a major challenge for Ferrari. The team had previously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Consequently, Giovinazzi or any other driver couldn’t be expected to accompany the team for Formula 1 duties. Therefore, Bearman was the preferred choice for the reserve driver role at Ferrari.
At just 18 years old, Bearman not only scored points in Saudi Arabia but also became the third youngest driver to ever compete in Formula 1. He expressed his desire for Carlos Sainz to recover quickly and return to the driver’s seat. However, this didn’t mean that Bearman himself didn’t want to race in Formula 1.
Bearman also acknowledged that the car rightfully belonged to Carlos Sainz and he should be the one driving it. According to updates from the team, Sainz is expected to make a full recovery by the upcoming weekend. The Spanish driver will likely participate in the next race after sitting out in Jeddah.
Ferrari has already been delivering impressive results throughout the season. This has allowed Maranello to establish a significant lead over Mercedes early on. Currently, the team is preparing for the upcoming Australian Grand Prix as Carlos Sainz recovers from his illness. Bearman will resume his duties in Formula 2 and continue serving as the reserve driver at Maranello.