Lewis Hamilton hasn’t even made his debut for Ferrari yet but there will be plenty of drivers up and down the paddock – and some not even racing in Formula 1 yet – who would love to be in his position.
When he decided to leave Mercedes to sign for Ferrari, Hamilton signed an initial two-year contract with the option to extend.
It means Hamilton has committed to the final year of the current regulations and believes Ferrari could be a championship challenger when Formula 1’s ruleset changes in 2026.
The 40-year-old has admitted that if he wins an eighth world championship, he won’t be content to simply retire as he’ll want to make the most of having the quickest car on the grid.
It’s not going to be an easy task for Hamilton with McLaren looking so strong this year and Max Verstappen capable of pulling off extraordinary results even when his Red Bull is underperforming.
However, even if Hamilton believes he can race in Formula 1 forever, eventually he and Ferrari will have to consider their options.
Beating new teammate Charles Leclerc won’t be easy and there are a host of younger drivers who would love to race alongside the Monegasque when Hamilton retires.
Anthony Davidson was providing his preview of the 2025 Formula 1 season for Sky Sports F1 and identified one driver who will be desperate to prove they can replace Hamilton one day.
Oliver Bearman has already deputised for Ferrari before after replacing Carlos Sainz at late notice during last season’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The new Haas driver will be hoping to prove to team principal Frederic Vasseur that he’s the perfect option to replace Hamilton one day when he decides to take up his next challenge.
Anthony Davidson says Oliver Bearman is in ‘prime position’ to replace Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Davidson spoke about Haas and in particular their new British driver and said: “It’s great for Oliver Bearman that he knows the team already.
“He has raced with the team and they know that he’s hot property because he’s Ferrari-backed as well.
“He will be keeping one eye on what’s going on at the red team as well because he might be fancying his chances for further into the future.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Haas driver Oliver Bearman? Everything to know
“Obviously Lewis Hamilton, at 40, can’t be there forever so you feel Bearman has to play his cards well.
“He’s in a prime position for potentially one day wearing the red suit, so this is a really important year for him.
“What a great yardstick to have in Esteban Ocon, who is rated as a driver, he’s feisty.
“If you can beat Ocon regularly then that’s a good achievement and it puts you in a really good position for the future with Ferrari.”
Oliver Bearman faces difficult challenge against Esteban Ocon at Haas in 2025
Bearman has been a part of Ferrari’s driver academy for some time making him the logical option to replace Hamilton one day if everything goes according to plan.
Zhou Guanyu is currently acting as the team’s reserve driver alongside Antonio Giovinazzi but it’s unlikely that either Sauber driver will be handed a permanent race seat in Vasseur’s team going forward.
Haas made big strides forward last year but due to the size of the team, they may have to switch focus to 2026 earlier than many of their rivals.
READ MORE: All to know about Haas F1 Team from team principal to Ferrari and Toyota ties
Esteban Ocon will be a tough teammate for Bearman as a race winner and one of the most experienced drivers on the grid.
Ocon and Bearman have been predicted to clash this season as the Frenchman has a reputation for colliding with his teammates.
The British youngster will have to make sure he’s too far up the road for Ocon to catch him to avoid that predicament.
