Oliver Bearman’s ‘Hardest Thing’ Admission From Jeddah Debut Drops Harsh Reality Check of Driving in F1

Oliver Bearman made quite the impression in his debut F1 race at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. It was a dream come true for the young driver, who had been named as the team’s reserve driver for the 2024 season. But nothing could have prepared him for the events that unfolded during the second round in 2024. With Carlos Sainz ruled out of the Grand Prix weekend on Friday, Bearman received the call-up to replace him at Ferrari. With just hours to go before the all-important qualifying session, Bearman transitioned from the F2 paddock to the F1 paddock, undergoing intense preparations to make his debut.

Despite the limited time, he impressed with his performance, narrowly missing out on advancing to Q3 and earning praise from both Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc. With support from Ferrari’s team principal and his own preparations in F2, Bearman showcased his talent and adaptability on the F1 stage on race day, securing a seventh-place finish and earning valuable points for the team. However, despite his impressive performance, it was not an easy weekend for Bearman by a long shot.

What was the hardest part of Oliver Bearman’s Formula 1 debut?

During the race itself, Bearman faced intense pressure from fellow British drivers; Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, who were on fresher tires, but he held his ground on his way to the seventh-place finish. Reflecting on his achievement of setting a new record for the youngest Brit to drive a Ferrari in F1, he likened it to fulfilling a childhood dream, expressing immense pride in his accomplishment.

When asked about the complexity of driving an F1 car, he remarked that the commands were the simplest part. However, he admitted that the physical demands were a bit too much, especially on his neck, owing to the heightened speeds in F1 compared to Formula 2. Responding to the question of the hardest thing of his debut, Bearman said, “Not so much the procedures, I already knew them while driving on the simulator and it was easier than I expected.”

“Thanks to preparation and work, the efforts actually pay off: we had tried them many times. It’s on a physical level that I was afraid, Jeddah is a very, very demanding track even in Formula 2, but in F1 it’s a completely different thing: pain, especially in the neck. However, I already knew the speed of an F1 having driven the F1-75 (the 2022 car) this winter,” he added.

With his debut performance, Bearman has undoubtedly got his foot in the door for a permanent race seat in Formula 1, and Ferrari is willing to help him get comfortable with F1 machinery.

Ferrari is preparing Oliver Bearman for a possible F1 drive in 2025

Following the Saudi Arabian GP, Ferrari did not waste time in arranging for Bearman to test their F1-75 car at the Fiorano track, providing him with another opportunity to practice his skills behind the wheel of an F1 car. Although Sainz is expected to return for the Australian Grand Prix, Bearman remains on standby as a reserve driver, ready to step in if needed.

He has become a serious contender for a race seat in the future. While Ferrari currently has a full driver lineup, including Charles Leclerc and the expected addition of Lewis Hamilton, Bearman’s potential may lead to opportunities with other teams, such as Haas, where he has already participated in practice sessions. Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, shared his views on Bearman’s debut race, saying, “Amazing – this circuit is not the easiest circuit to jump in from FP3. So I’m very, very happy for him, and [he was] impressive. He deserves a chance next year, I guess.”

READ MORE: Oliver Bearman Lived “Childhood Dream” With Ferrari While Breaking Multiple Records on Debut

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