Oliver Bearman, a young British racing driver, has an impressive track record. In the world of Formula 1, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding his debut after the news broke that another driver had withdrawn from the Saudi Arabian GP. If Bearman is able to start tomorrow’s race, he has the potential to break multiple records.
Carlos Sainz had to undergo surgery for appendicitis, which opened up an opportunity for Bearman. Despite his young age, Bearman showed his talent by securing pole position in the F2 feature race. As a result, he was given the unexpected call to replace Sainz.
This weekend, Bearman has the chance to set several records with Ferrari. He could become the youngest-ever British F1 driver, the youngest-ever Ferrari F1 driver, and the first English driver for Scuderia Ferrari since Nigel Mansell. It’s shaping up to be a record-breaking weekend for the 18-year-old.
If Bearman achieves these milestones, he will surpass the previous records set by his fellow countryman and a driver from over six decades ago. Ferrari found themselves in a sudden situation when they had to find a replacement for Sainz, who had been performing well. Despite the risk involved, they decided to give Bearman, a promising young talent in F1, a chance.
Bearman’s resume is filled with accomplishments. In 2021, he won the Italian F4 championship, and the following year, he achieved a third-place finish in F3. This led to him being signed by PREMA for the 2023 season, although he had a disappointing sixth-place overall finish. Now, in his second attempt at the Formula 2 series, Bearman aims to win the title. However, his recent opportunity to step into the SF-24 with Ferrari is a once-in-a-lifetime chance that he will surely make the most of.