Oliver Bearman, the reserve driver for Ferrari, made his surprising debut in Formula 1 qualifying in Saudi Arabia. Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion, commended Bearman, stating that he himself was not prepared for Formula 1 at the age of 18. Bearman stepped in for Carlos Sainz, who was recovering from an appendicitis operation. Despite limited practice, Bearman finished 11th in qualifying, narrowly missing out on Q3 by a mere 0.036 seconds. Hamilton expressed his admiration for Bearman’s performance and praised his talent and quick adaptation to the challenging circumstances. Hamilton also acknowledged the difference in times and progression in the sport, reflecting on his own experience in Formula 3 at the age of 18. Hamilton, who will join Ferrari next year, recognized the upcoming race as a significant challenge for Bearman but acknowledged the potential of his car to handle the tires well. Max Verstappen, the reigning World Champion, also commended Bearman’s debut, emphasizing the difficulty of racing on the high-speed and high-risk Jeddah circuit. Verstappen praised Bearman’s impressive performance, acknowledging the stress and pressure that comes with entering a new car without prior experience. Verstappen expressed his hope that Bearman was satisfied with his own performance, as he believed that everyone in the paddock recognized the rookie’s exceptional job.
Fernando Alonso was on his way to winning his first Formula 1 championship in the year that Bearman was born (2005), which the Spaniard described as “unbelievable”.
“He is an exceptional driver, extremely talented. This is not the easiest circuit to make your debut, but he performed exceptionally well today and I believe he will have a strong race tomorrow,” Alonso added.
Sergio Perez also acknowledged the daunting challenge that the Jeddah track poses for any Formula 1 rookie as he praised the newest driver to join the team.
“It’s a place where you don’t want to make your debut because it’s one of the most demanding circuits,” the Mexican driver admitted.
“It’s a track where you have to take the most risks, where you have to be the most confident with the car and its balance.
“So, yes, I have great respect for what he accomplished today. I think he did an outstanding job.
“It just goes to show how well-prepared he was for this opportunity. So congratulations to him.”
“I was really impressed by Ollie. I watched him in Formula 2 and I remember seeing his laps in Mexico last year,” George Russell added.
“I thought he was driving exceptionally well and he definitely surpassed my expectations.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had the opportunity to witness Bearman’s baptism of fire in Formula 1 firsthand and, like his fellow Grand Prix winners, could only speak highly of the teenager’s performance.
“First of all, I wish Carlos Sainz a speedy recovery. As for Ollie, he has done an incredible job,” Leclerc commented during the post-qualifying press conference.
“Not having participated in FP1 and FP2 is quite a significant disadvantage, but right from FP3, he was on the pace.
“It was great to see, and I’m sure it’s a very, very special weekend for him.
“I remember my first race in Formula 1, and I wasn’t driving for Ferrari, and I had several months to prepare for it, so I can’t even imagine how special it is for him to receive the call this morning and jump into a Ferrari on such a challenging circuit.
“So I hope we can score valuable points tomorrow so that he can cherish these memories forever.”