The 2024 Components 1 season delivered a rollercoaster of motion, surprising developments throughout the grid, and the rise of a promising new British expertise within the paddock.
Becoming a member of the likes of Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Lando Norris, a fourth Brit made his mark when Oliver Bearman stepped into the highlight with a surprising Ferrari debut on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix the place he changed Carlos Sainz.
The Ferrari junior had already caught the attention of the F1 neighborhood, having participated in his first FP1 session with Haas on the 2023 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix. Previous to that, he had additionally accomplished a personal take a look at for Ferrari at Fiorano. His transfer to Prema in Components 2, the place he competed alongside Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli, underlined Ferrari’s intention to groom the 19-year-old for a swift ascent into Components 1.
That imaginative and prescient turned actuality before anticipated, as Haas boldly opted to herald Oliver Bearman as their first rookie because the ill-fated duo of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in 2021. But, few might have predicted simply how quickly Bearman would transition to a full-time F1 seat.
In an interview on stage at Autosport Worldwide with Sky Sports activities F1 commentator David Croft, the brand new Haas driver recounted the dramatic chain of occasions resulting in his extraordinary points-scoring debut in Jeddah.
Whereas David Croft expressed nice confidence in Oliver Bearman’s potential this season, he additionally couldn’t resist poking enjoyable on the younger driver’s administration workforce. After listening to how shut Oliver Bearman got here to lacking his breakthrough alternative, Croft jokingly branded his supervisor the “world’s worst.”
On stage with Oliver Bearman, David Croft mentioned the younger driver’s F1 debut, asking him to recount the place he was, what he was doing, and the way he felt when the pivotal name got here from Fred Vasseur.
Bearman shared that he had been at lunch forward of the F2 Dash Race, which he wasn’t significantly keen about because the grid was reversed, putting him in P10 regardless of being on pole. Whereas sitting there, his supervisor, Chris, obtained a name from Vasseur. Nevertheless, the second turned comical when it was revealed that Chris’s cellphone had no credit score, inflicting the decision to disconnect instantly.
Responding to the story, Croft humorously pointed to Chris within the crowd, dubbing him the “world’s worst supervisor.” He joked about how Chris had solely 50p of credit score left throughout a name that would change Bearman’s life. Croft added that the Ferrari workforce boss even thought of calling Robert Shwartzman as a substitute, teasing Oliver Bearman by asking why he nonetheless caught with such a supervisor.
Oliver Bearman gearing up for first 2025 Haas F1 outing forward of pre-season preparations
After impressing with a standout efficiency in Jeddah, Oliver Bearman shortly turned Haas’ prime candidate for a 2025 race seat. His potential shone brightly simply because the workforce realized that Nico Hulkenberg was making ready to announce his departure to Sauber.
In the end, Haas workforce principal Ayao Komatsu opted for a daring shake-up, deciding to interchange Kevin Magnussen as nicely. This strategic transfer paved the way in which for the 19-year-old to step right into a full-time Components 1 function for the upcoming season.
Ollie Bearman had already gained precious expertise with Haas in 2024, stepping in for Magnussen on two events—as soon as through the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when the Dane served a race ban, and later at Sao Paulo when sickness sidelined him. The younger Brit delivered factors on his debut in Baku however confronted a steep studying curve within the difficult climate circumstances at Interlagos.
This week, Haas will kick off their first Testing of Earlier Vehicles (TPC) session, marking an vital milestone for Ollie Bearman. He’s scheduled to pilot the workforce’s 2023 automotive on Wednesday earlier than handing over the reins to Ritomo Miyata for the latter a part of the day’s working.
The take a look at signifies an thrilling chapter for each Ollie Bearman and Haas as they intention to capitalize on the momentum of an encouraging 2024 season and proceed their upward trajectory within the Components 1 paddock.
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