Oliver Bearman is hoping to make a full-time Formula 1 debut with Haas in 2025. The F2 driver is currently carrying out a reserve role for the team.
Ferrari academy star Bearman burst onto the F1 scene in Saudi Arabia when he stepped in for the unwell Carlos Sainz. He finished seventh place in his first-ever Grand Prix, winning driver of the day.
While he’ll be ready to step up if either of the drivers at Ferrari or Haas are unavailable for one of the next 18 races, his focus for the remainder of the year will be on his F2 campaign and his F1 practice outings. Ayao Komatsu scheduled six for Bearman over the course of 2024.
The first of those came at Imola on Friday, with the teenager taking over from Kevin Magnussen. He did a solid job, setting the 15th-fastest time and lapping within 1.6 seconds of Ferrari colleague Charles Leclerc.
Magnussen has accrued 10 penalty points over the past year, which puts him on the edge of receiving a race ban. That could open up an opportunity for Bearman, but the vacancy for 2025 lies on the other side of the garage.
Nico Hulkenberg is leaving to join Sauber in a significant boost for the young Briton. Some may have felt the pressure was getting to him when he crashed in F2 practice on Friday, but he recovered by qualifying second on the grid.
Haas to give Oliver Bearman a seat according to paddock talk
Speaking live on The F1 Show following Bearman’s practice outing at Imola, Sky presenter Rachel Brookes shared the latest paddock murmurs around the 19-year-old. He’s apparently all but confirmed as a Haas driver for next year.
This would ensure that there’s at least one rookie on the grid for 2025 after the field stayed the same over the winter for the first time in F1 history. Bearman’s Prema teammate Kimi Antonelli could also make the step-up to F1.
Damon Hill believes that the Essex-born racer is ‘ready’ for a permanent F1 seat. He’d be four years younger than anybody else on next year’s grid.
Brookes said: “Damon, do you think he’s ready for Formula 1 next year? That’s what we’re hearing in the paddock, isn’t it, that he will be in one of those seats.
Hill replied: “I don’t see why not. They are ready when they are very young now.”
Ted Kravitz can’t believe what Netflix are doing with Oliver Bearman at Imola
Bearman won the hearts of many Formula 1 fans with his starring performance in remarkable circumstances at the Saudi Arabian GP. It was the best debut result since March 2015.
Netflix have tried to capitalise on the publicity as they shoot the seventh season of the popular Drive to Survive documentary in the paddock. Their cameras are following the Haas reserve this weekend.
Ted Kravitz is stunned that Bearman will be the subject of an episode when many long-time F1 drivers haven’t had that privilege. But he says it’s a marker of the level of ‘interest’.
As it stands, he might actually be more likely to race for Haas next year than Magnussen. The Dane hurt his chances of earning a new contract by amassing five penalty points last time out in Miami.
Komatsu is trying to find the ideal teammate for Bearman and Magnussen has yet to convince him. This could open the door for Valtteri Bottas, a 10-time Grand Prix winner during his days with Mercedes and the potential victim of Hulkenberg’s Sauber move.
The post 'We're hearing in the paddock': Rachel Brookes shares what F1 figures are saying about Oliver Bearman future appeared first on F1 Oversteer.