Oliver Bearman: Haas’ wager
He isn’t even 20 years outdated and already has a secured future in Formulation 1. In 2025, Ferrari Driver Academy member Oliver Bearman will drive for Haas and compete towards among the finest drivers on the earth, together with stars sufficiently old to be his father, like Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
A number of individuals have questioned the US workforce’s gamble. Oliver Bearman’s Formulation 2 season has been shaky, partly as a result of struggles of the Prema workforce (think about Bahrain, Austria, and Imola), and the 2005-born driver is presently in thirteenth place within the standings with 25 factors lower than his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli. This hole could be partially defined by the Jeddah weekend, the place Oliver Bearman needed to “surrender” pole place as a result of Ferrari referred to as him to exchange Carlos Sainz, who was affected by appendicitis.
Oliver Bearman’s feedback
That very weekend, by which he secured seventh place forward of fellow countrymen Norris and Hamilton, performed a major function in his promotion to Haas for 2025. Ollie Bearman himself admits this: “I feel Jeddah confirmed what I’m able to and that rookies will not be up to now behind the pack. I imagine it performed a vital function in why I’m right here,” he mentioned on the Silverstone press convention. “The F2 season goes like this. I feel I’m acting at a degree I’ve by no means reached earlier than, then I get to Montmeló and end final, whereas final 12 months I received by three seconds.”
Oliver Bearman’s purpose is of course to return to Ferrari, however as a full-time driver, like Charles Leclerc did in 2019: “I hope so, it will be a dream. It’s not all in my palms, all I can do is give my finest.” He may have time to show his value, regardless that the final younger drivers Haas picked from the decrease sequence didn’t meet expectations, akin to Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin. Staff principal Ayao Komatsu mentioned in an interview that he has no doubts about Oliver Bearman’s talents and evaluates him extra on his efficiency with the workforce in free observe periods and assessments slightly than his leads to Formulation 2.
For now, Oliver Bearman’s 2024 F2 marketing campaign has not gone as deliberate. The Prema driver needed to withdraw from the Jeddah spherical to fill in for Ferrari within the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Since then, the 19-year-old has struggled with qualifying, securing a front-row begin solely twice within the first eight rounds. His race performances have additionally been disappointing. The Briton has been concerned in collisions at Bahrain, Melbourne, and Silverstone. Moreover, he confronted technical points at Bahrain and Austria.
Furthermore, he crashed out within the Monte Carlo Grand Prix and endured a prolonged pit cease on the Imola circuit, which price him the race lead: “I really feel like I’m acting at the next degree than ever, then I get to Barcelona, and I actually end final. Final 12 months, I received the race by [three] seconds. I don’t have a solution but. I hope that I can put the inconsistency all the way down to one thing else slightly than myself, as a result of I actually really feel like I’m performing as excessive as I ever have – which is sensible, as a result of I’m probably the most skilled that I’ve ever been.” – the Ferrari junior concluded.