Bruno Michel (CEO F2-F3): Oliver Bearman ‘pioneer’ for the new generation. How Oliver Bearman's race in Jeddah represented a turning point.

Young drivers on the attack
The 2025 Formula 1 season, which will start on March 16 in Australia, has been described by many insiders as the ‘rookie season.’ There will be as many as six drivers on the grid who have never competed in a full championship in the Circus, and three of them – Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, and Gabriel Bortoleto – will face their first-ever Grand Prix in Melbourne.

But how did this sudden ‘invasion’ of debutants come about in a championship that has often celebrated the value of experience? The first trend reversal actually dates back a few years, with the wave of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, followed by the simultaneous entry of the Russell-Albon-Norris trio in 2019. According to Bruno Michel, CEO of the F2 and F3 championships, there was, however, an even more recent turning point that made team principals realize how ready the emerging talents from the feeder series are.

Ollie’s turning point
“For a long time, F1 teams were somewhat reluctant to take on rookies due to the great weight that every position holds in the Constructors’ standings in terms of prize money,” Michel explained in a lengthy interview with the official F1 website, “but last year, this perception changed significantly. I believe the moment that had the greatest impact was what Ollie Bearman did in Jeddah.”

The young Englishman was suddenly called up by Ferrari to replace Carlos Sainz in the Saudi Arabian GP due to the Spaniard’s appendicitis. He managed to qualify 11th and finish the race in seventh place, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, astonishing everyone with his speed and error-free driving, despite having had only one practice session to prepare.

“Suddenly, people saw an F2 driver come out of nowhere and have a great weekend,” Bruno Michel highlighted. “He was fast, consistent, and made no mistakes. Then there was all the preparation Kimi Antonelli went through, being directly followed by Toto Wolff and Mercedes, and he immediately proved to be ready. Franco Colapinto did the same with Williams when he was called up: he immediately showed he was at the right level. F1 teams understood that these guys were ready and that they could trust them,” he concluded.