Ollie Bearman opens up on Ferrari debut, relationship with Kimi Antonelli and joining Haas
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From 2025, Haas will officially welcome Oliver Bearman, who will team up with newcomer Esteban Ocon. The young English driver has already made headlines this year with three appearances—one in Jeddah with Ferrari, likely the weekend that definitively convinced the American team, and two with Haas at Baku and Interlagos. Ollie Bearman reflected on his 2024 season, during which he also competed in F2, discussed his relationship with Kimi Antonelli, and shared his expectations for 2025.
Bearman: "Debuting with Ferrari accelerated everything; I dream of returning"
In an interview with the Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Oliver Bearman revisited his debut with Ferrari. The 2005-born driver was called up by Fred Vasseur on Saturday morning, just before FP3, after Carlos Sainz withdrew due to appendicitis: "I didn't have much time to get nervous because I was busy learning as much as possible, but I'd say what I felt in that moment was quite shocking. Fear is the best word to describe what I experienced. What happened sped up the process and gave me the chance to show what I'm capable of."
In 2025, Oliver Bearman will finally have a permanent seat, allowing him to focus solely on a single championship, unlike 2024 when he also competed in F2. Here's what he had to say about the upcoming year: "I can't wait to face the challenges ahead and finally measure myself against some of the best in the world. The travel and workload will increase significantly, so my life will become more hectic and complicated, but I'm looking forward to it." His ultimate dream is clearly to return to the team he has been associated with since 2021—Ferrari—as a successor to Lewis Hamilton: "Growing and racing for Ferrari has been the greatest pride of my career. I hope to wear the red again very soon."
From F4 to F1: the bond between Ollie Bearman and Kimi Antonelli
Over the years, Oliver has battled on track with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will join Mercedes next season. The two first competed in a Formula series in August 2021 in Italian F4, with a highly action-packed and competitive weekend at Monza. This year, Ollie Bearman reunited with the 2006-born driver as teammates in F2, outperforming him in most weekends: "Kimi is a very fast driver, that's for sure. He's also a good guy; I consider him a dear friend, and I'm happy we'll be together in F1."
Oliver Bearman: "Massive differences between F2 and F1"
Typically, when competing in junior categories, drivers only learn about the next step at the last moment. However, this year, the announcement of Ollie Bearman's move to Haas came early, allowing him to prepare thoroughly. Speaking on the Pirelli podcast 'Box Box,' he shared: "In some ways, it's a great feeling—it puts a lot of pressure on your shoulders. On the other hand, I'm already eager to jump into next season. This year, I worked hard to ensure I'd be ready when the opportunity came, but I'm impatient. I can't wait for the first race in Australia."
Throughout the 2024 Formula 1 season, Ollie Bearman participated in several free practice sessions and competed in three races, some coinciding with Formula 2 events. The Ferrari driver highlighted the key differences between the two types of cars: "Firstly, the driving behavior is completely different, which made things a bit harder for me. I feel more natural in F1; I tend to find the limit more quickly compared to F2. When I get behind the wheel of an F1 car, I feel 'at home' because I think my driving style suits this type of car much better. My approach to hitting the apex pays off more in terms of lap time in F1 than in F2. In F2, I make more mistakes and don't feel natural—even in great positions, I don't feel entirely confident with the car."
The differences are also evident within the teams: "The first thing you notice is the personnel. In F1, there are so many people, while in F2, for instance, the entire team handles pit stops. In F1, I meet new people all the time—I actually struggle to remember everyone's names. At Ferrari, it's easier because everyone's name is on their shirt. In F1, there's more attention to detail; there's a dedicated group for each specific role. There's someone focusing on starts, someone analyzing your driving, and someone handling tires. The differences on track are minimal; this year, the gaps in qualifying among the top five have been incredibly close." – the Ferrari junior concluded.
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