Oliver Bearman has already made an impression in F1 in just three Grand Prix starts in 2024.
The Brit made substitute appearances for Ferrari and Haas last season, making his debut for the former at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in place of Carlos Sainz.
Narrowly missing out on Q3, Bearman finished seventh ahead of fellow compatriots Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton. This performance put him firmly on the driver market ahead of 2025.
The 19-year-old returned to the cockpit of an F1 car in Baku and Sao Paulo replacing Kevin Magnussen. Bearman scored points again at the Azerbaijan GP to become the first F1 driver to score points in their first two races with two different teams.
Bearman has signed with Haas on a multi-year deal alongside Esteban Ocon. Preparations have already begun for 2025 with Haas conducting their first-ever TPC test at Jerez last month.
The Brit’s arrival in F1 has excited fans and pundits for the season ahead. Giedo van der Garde sees Bearman as a ‘diamond in the rough’ – and Ferrari seem to echo these thoughts.
Oliver Bearman impressed Ferrari by outqualifying Nico Hulkenberg in Sao Paulo
Joining the Ferrari academy at the end of 2021, the Maranello outfit trusted Bearman to drive the SF-24 in Jeddah last year and take over from Magnussen at Haas later in the season ahead of his full-time move.
What was most impressive about the 19-year-old’s performance was the limited time he had to prepare for each. But none were more demanding than the Sao Paulo GP.
Having just a day to prepare before practice, the Brit had to navigate torrential rain all weekend. What’s more, he had never driven the Interlagos circuit before with Bearman joking he had only raced it on video games.
In the difficult conditions, Bearman outqualified experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg. In the race, the German – who has scored 569 points in his long F1 career – was disqualified while Bearman limped home 12th after spinning off the track.
Guenther Steiner was unimpressed by Bearman’s performance as he slid all over the track in the wet. But Ferrari and Haas were taking notice of the Brit.
In a report by ESPN, both teams were ‘impressed by the consistency of Bearman’s performances’, particularly when he got the better of Hulkenberg in Sao Paulo – albeit he was still knocked out in Q1.
Does Oliver Bearman have a clear path to Ferrari in F1?
Bearman will be eager to impress in his first full season in F1 with Haas. F1 fans are thrilled with the ‘Bearcon’ combination at the team as the Brit and Ocon have real potential to lead the team forward.
Haas narrowly missed out on sixth in the constructors’ championship in 2024. Ayao Komatsu has led the team to profits for the first time in their history and will be looking to continue the momentum in 2025.
| Position | Constructors’ Standings | Points |
| 1 |
McLaren Racing |
666 |
| 2 |
Scuderia Ferrari |
652 |
| 3 |
Red Bull Racing |
589 |
| 4 |
Mercedes-AMG Petronas |
468 |
| 5 |
Aston Martin F1 Team |
94 |
| 6 |
Alpine F1 Team |
65 |
| 7 |
Haas F1 Team |
58 |
| 8 |
Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team |
46 |
| 9 |
Williams F1 Team |
17 |
| 10 |
Sauber F1 Team |
4 |
While he may have his attention on Haas, Bearman is being looked at by Ferrari for the future. The Maranello outfit have an exciting driver pairing of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton – and it seems the 19-year-old is next in line.
It is ‘only a matter of time’ before Bearman joins Ferrari, with the earliest opportunity being 2026 when Hamilton’s contract expires – but Ferrari have the option of a further year.
David Croft thinks Bearman will ‘delight’ fans in 2025 and the young talent will be looking to do just that and put his foot in the door for a Ferrari seat in the coming years.
