Martin Brundle has praised Ferrari reserve driver Oliver Bearman after a ‘brilliant’ F1 debut at the Saudi Arabian GP having stepped in for Carlos Sainz at very brief notice.
The 18-year-old switched his Formula 2 duties for a seat on the Grand Prix grid when Ferrari rushed to replace Sainz. A chance to debut in Formula 1 suddenly appeared for Bearman as Sainz required emergency surgery for appendicitis this Friday. But he swam in the deep end.
Ferrari only told Bearman that he would be replacing Sainz in the pinnacle of motorsport at 13:30 local time in Jeddah (10:30 GMT) on Friday. Yet he qualified in 11th spot and took the VF-24 into the points this Saturday. Bearman closed out his F1 and Ferrari debut in seventh.
Oliver Bearman scores points for Ferrari on his Formula 1 debut
Bearman is now the youngest British driver to race in Formula 1 and the youngest to drive a Ferrari in a Grand Prix. But age was no limit for the teenager at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. He withstood early pressure from Kevin Magnussen and hastily showed his high intelligence.
Ferrari pitting Bearman under the Lap 7 safety car for Lance Stroll’s buried Aston Martin saw the youngster have to go to the end on a set of hard compound Pirelli tyres. But the strategy ultimately paid off with Bearman moving ahead of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton into P7.
Oliver Bearman impressed Martin Brundle in the Saudi Arabian GP
McLaren and Mercedes sought the reverse strategy to Ferrari and Bearman by leaving Norris and Hamilton out under the safety car. But the Scuderia took the decision to stop the Ferrari Driver Academy talent having started Bearman with soft tyres to benefit the rookie’s launch.
The way that Bearman handled himself throughout the Saudi Arabian GP to score points on his Ferrari and F1 debut also impressed Brundle. He seldom put a wheel out of line over the 50 laps of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and was cool as Norris and Hamilton attacked late on.
Martin Brundle has ‘no doubt’ Oliver Bearman has an F1 future
Now, Brundle has ‘no doubt’ that Ferrari reserve driver Bearman has a future on the F1 grid. He will return to F2 with Prema for the rest of 2024 with eyes on the title during his second season in the series. Sainz aims to return to his Ferrari at the Australian GP come March 24.
“Congratulations to Ollie Bearman,” Brundle posted on X. “[A] brilliant drive in Jeddah this evening. Kept it on the road, out of the wicked walls and stayed well in touch with – and ahead of – truly world-class drivers. Superb first F1 GP, of many I have no doubt.”
Ferrari are locked out for 2025 with Hamilton leaving Mercedes to replace Sainz on a multi-year contract. Leclerc also signed a new contract with the Scuderia in January. But Bearman could find his permanent route to F1 with Haas, who he has already driven in practice with.
Bearman made his Grand Prix weekend debut in FP1 at the 2023 Mexico City GP with Haas. He also contested FP1 at the 2023 Abu Dhabi GP with the American-owned F1 team. While Bearman is also Haas’ reserve driver for 2024, alongside being one of Ferrari’s understudies.
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