Prior to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, it was announced that Carlos Sainz would be unable to race for Ferrari due to appendicitis that would require immediate surgery. His replacement for the race? 18-year-old Ollie Bearman, a British racing driver who is currently competing in the F2 championship under Prema Racing. Bearman was told only days before that he was to compete in the Scuderia, meaning that the pressure was truly on for him to make a lasting impression in his first Formula 1 race.
So who is Ollie Bearman?
Ollie Bearman is a British racing driver who has been competing in motorsports since his childhood. The youngster first competed in karting at the age of eight, in which he placed in the top five of the British Karting GP only after competing for a year. Bearman then moved on to be awarded several titles, before progressing to single-seater racing in 2020. Evidently, Bearman’s growth in motorsports has been impressive, considering his youth in comparison to the rest of the grid. However, his experience is nothing short of amazing, with the Brit finishing in a respectable 6th place in the 2023 F2 championship.
Whilst Bearman’s stint with Ferrari marked his debut race within Formula 1, the F2 driver has already driven in this division. Bearman was first introduced to Formula 1 back in 2023, when he raced for Haas in both Mexico and at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in free practice sessions. During the Mexico City weekend, he finished 15th, with only 0.3 seconds off of Nico Hulkenberg, a rapid pace for a novice.
Despite his albeit small appearance in Formula 1, it was evident that there were sure to be nerves when it came to replacing Sainz. However, Bearman showed very little struggle when it came to succeeding, finishing in an impressive 11th in qualifying and only narrowly missing out on Q3. And when it came to the actual race, Ollie Bearman’s efforts were nothing short of remarkable. The young Brit placed an outstanding 7th, ahead of fellow British racers Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton. This meant that Bearman gained 6 points for his provisional team, and completed a race that he should be very proud of.
I for one don’t feel like this is the last of Ollie Bearman racing under a Formula 1 team. With this youth, evident talent, and passion for motorsport, I would not be surprised if a team were not trying to sign him in the next couple of years, particularly with the upcoming 2025 season looking like there could be some big shakeups.
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