Oliver Bearman reflects on "magical year": "Now I'll have a Formula 1 car all to myself"

Yesterday at 04:27 PM

Do well and do it quickly. The “new wave” of young drivers entering Formula 1 shares this defining trait: they get into the car and seem as though they’ve been there for years. Among the standout representatives of this generation is Oliver Bearman, a 19-year-old from the Maranello Driver Academy, who amazed the world by debuting at the wheel of a Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

An uphill exam faced without notice, without free practice, on a circuit as challenging as Jeddah, and under the intense spotlight that comes with debuting in a Ferrari.

Passing significant exams comes with equally significant rewards, and in Oliver Bearman's case, the Jeddah performance crucially opened the doors to Haas, the team with which he will compete in the next F1 World Championship. Even in front of a recorder, Oliver Bearman comes across as a veteran—explaining, confessing, smiling—with the approach of someone who knows the ropes, despite an ID card that says “born in 2005.” After a season as a stand-in, “Ollie” now looks forward to starting an open-ended season, with his future in his hands and the intent to “settle down” in Formula 1, which seemed destined for him all along.

Your 2024 season was particularly intense. From the F2 car, you often unexpectedly moved to the Ferrari or Haas F1. How difficult was it to find the right feeling with such different cars?
“In fact, I jumped back and forth between several different cars, from F2 to F1, but I would also add various F1 cars, as I completed testing programs with Ferrari involving other single-seaters. I always felt like I was getting into a new car, but I think that's something that helps you grow. Driving a different car frequently forces you to think a lot—you don't have many automatic responses and have to adapt quickly. I think it's a really important quality.”

Is adaptability a skill you've always had, or did you develop it over time?
“I don't think it's something you can truly learn. Of course, I've improved in this area over time, but it's a trait I've always had—I tend to get up to speed quite quickly. When I was karting, I remember being the fastest in the first laps, and it's something I've always had naturally. In the last Brazilian Grand Prix, Haas called me at the last minute due to Kevin Magnussen's health issues. I had never driven at the Interlagos circuit before, but I was fast right away.”

The most important day of your 2024 was the Saturday at Jeddah. You received a phone call, and when the conversation ended, you knew you'd debut in Formula 1, driving a Ferrari. How did it go?
“Looking back now, I must say it was hard to understand what my body was really feeling. You know, on one hand, I was very excited—this was an F1 debut, a fantastic opportunity. But at the same time, it was still an F1 debut, driving a Ferrari at 18 years old, without any notice and with a last-minute call. It wasn't easy, but I think it went quite well. I forced myself to focus and not overthink what was happening around me.”

It was also a historic moment for Ferrari, with an 18-year-old rookie starting a Grand Prix with just a few hours' notice. How did you isolate yourself?
“In some ways, not having any notice was positive. I didn't have time to think—just a few hours after receiving Frederic Vasseur's call, I was in the garage preparing. I didn't have time to process what was happening around me; I had to focus on what I was called to do. In the end, I had a lot of fun, especially during the race when I found my rhythm and started to feel really comfortable. I became more confident with the car, its behavior under high and low fuel loads, tire degradation, and everything else.”

Do you remember the moment you exited the pits for the first time?
“Unfortunately, I don't have a clear memory of it. I didn't have time to savor the moment, which I regret because debuting in F1 with a Ferrari is [snaps fingers]… everything passed so quickly. I do remember getting into the car for the first time just minutes before the start of FP3 on Saturday morning. I looked up, amazed at how many cameras there were in front of the garage—I couldn't even see the pit lane! That day, I was the main topic of discussion; it was all a bit crazy.”

There was a particular moment at the end of the Grand Prix that was probably very special for you. As soon as he got out of his car, Lewis Hamilton came to congratulate you…
“I remember that well, even though I was physically exhausted. Already on the cool-down lap after the checkered flag, he pulled alongside me and gave me a thumbs-up. I was already happy with that. I was enjoying the moment—I'd brought the car home without making mistakes on a challenging track like Jeddah. And yes, having the acknowledgment of such an iconic and great driver as Lewis is something I'm proud of, and it also says a lot about him as a person.”

Did you grow up following Lewis Hamilton?
“When he won his first world championship, I was three years old, so… in all the Grands Prix I've followed, Lewis Hamilton was always there, except for Bahrain in 2020 when he missed the weekend due to COVID. In every other race I watched, Lewis was on the grid—and usually winning…”

A new generation of drivers is preparing to enter Formula 1 full-time, and your Jeddah debut was probably the best showcase to make team principals take notice of young talents racing in F2. You all seem to perform well very quickly. How do you explain that?
“I'll start with an example. In almost every F1 weekend, the fastest driver on the first flying lap on Friday morning is Max [Verstappen], the world champion of the last four seasons. Being able to reach your maximum speed quickly is a quality every driver needs today.”

“As for the group of drivers set to secure stable positions in F1, we must consider that in recent years there hasn't been much turnover—only Oscar [Piastri] managed to secure a steady seat. This likely didn't help team principals trust young drivers. I think what I and Franco [Colapinto] have shown has changed perceptions regarding investing in young talent. It's not a given that we can't compete with much more experienced drivers. I believe we're entering a period where talented young drivers will no longer be overlooked.”

Your 2024 was originally planned for a full-time F2 campaign. However, the results didn't meet expectations. What went wrong?
“Let's put it this way: at the start of the season, my goal was to enter F1—that was the 2024 objective—and, in the end, it happened, albeit through a different path than I expected. The F2 championship turned out to be difficult; we had some highs and many lows. At Jeddah, I was on pole before Ferrari's call, but for the rest of the season, I had three race wins and the same for Kimi [Antonelli, Bearman's teammate at Prema].”

“We didn't perform as consistently as we hoped; we took longer than expected to understand the new car. I feel like we were always a bit behind expectations. It was definitely a tough year in terms of pure performance, but I think I learned a lot. It might sound strange, but it's really important to see how you handle adversity and resolve difficult situations. It was the first time I really had to fight, and it certainly won't be the last.”

It's known that you and Antonelli have a good relationship. Did you help each other with the common challenges you faced during the season?
“We've always been close. At the start of the season, we didn't know each other well, but we shared a similar and rather fast trajectory through the various categories leading us to F2. We were both struggling with the same challenges, trying to get the most out of it, and next year, we'll both be in F1. I enjoyed working with Kimi. I also learned a lot from him, and I'm sure he learned from me. I consider him a dear friend.”

Your Jeddah performance likely helped him too…
“Perhaps, because if we had been judged only on our F2 performances, we wouldn't have seemed very promising! But I'm sure I wasn't the reason Kimi will be in F1 next year.”

Let's talk about Baku. That debut with Haas came with a bit of notice, and you were able to participate in Friday's practice sessions…
“Yes, but I lost FP3 due to a silly mistake. I was happy with how I managed to get back into rhythm after the incident. The race went well, especially in the second stint. In the first part, I was a bit too cautious—I tried to be very gentle with the tires and never used them to their full potential. I'm sure I would do much better if I could redo that weekend. But in the end, scoring points was very positive.”

In Brazil, the wet conditions made things much more challenging?
“Driving in the wet wasn't easy. We made some mistakes as a team, and for me, it was the first wet experience in an F1 car. But on the dry track, I felt very comfortable, which gives me a lot of confidence for next season.”

Having raced in three Grands Prix, you won't be able to participate in the rookie tests next week. You're already thinking about 2025…
“I don't think it's fair. I've raced in three weekends, but if you look back a few years, Fernando Alonso participated in rookie tests with two world championships under his belt. I've barely done three races… but it is what it is.”

You shared the team for two weekends with Nico Hulkenberg, and next season you'll have Esteban Ocon as a teammate. How important do you think experience is today?
“Working with Nico, I saw his experience up close, especially on the most challenging tracks—he was able to find the pace very quickly. Even in his feedback and conversations with the engineers, he often referenced previous seasons, which shows the value of experience. Esteban is also a very experienced driver. I consider him young, but he's been in F1 for many years. When he raced his first GP, I was probably competing in cadet karting! Having good experience is definitely helpful, but at the same time, we've seen several young drivers arrive and perform well right away. I believe it's not impossible to do well even in the early stages of your F1 career.”

What do you expect from 2025, which will see you compete full-time with Haas? You'll finally have a full season, and you'll be one of the twenty main drivers in the championship.
“I like the prospect of being able to race full-time and focus on a single program. It's hard to set expectations because they depend a lot on the package I'll have, and things will probably become clearer in a few months. Regarding myself, I want to fully immerse myself in my role, give my best, and progressively improve race by race. Ultimately, I hope to make F1 my home—to stay for a long time, working and growing as a driver.”

The post Oliver Bearman reflects on “magical year”: “Now I’ll have a Formula 1 car all to myself” appeared first on Scuderia Fans.