Let’s admit it outright: the absolute protagonist of the 2024 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was, by popular acclaim, Oliver Bearman, the young 18-year-old Briton called at the last moment by Scuderia Ferrari to replace Carlos Sainz, the Spanish driver who, between free practices and qualifying, was rushed to emergency surgery for appendicitis, effectively leaving his SF-24 seat vacant.
The vacant seat, which Ferrari’s team principal, Fréd Vasseur, decided to entrust to the young Englishman, who was already present in Jeddah for the Formula 2 championship, making him the youngest Briton to start a Grand Prix, and the youngest driver ever fielded by the Maranello-based team. A call that would have made many legs tremble, but to which the diminutive “Ollie” brilliantly responded, quickly adapting to the Sf-24 car, procedures, various settings, and managing to almost reach Q3 on Saturday and finish well in the points zone at the end of the race, beating much more experienced and renowned drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.
A performance, backed by data, that was impressive and caught the entire paddock’s attention, to the extent that his successor at Ferrari in some way, Lewis Hamilton, praised this Formula 1 debut, even calling it “phenomenal” and expressing certainty that the British teenager will be a future star of the championship.
As reported by the British publication “Crash.net,” the seven-time Formula 1 world champion was impressed by the Ferrari Driver Academy talent, asserting that there will certainly be ample space for him in the future Formula One.
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“Being pulled out of your series and put straight into a Ferrari, in a top team, and having to go straight into qualifying without many laps and such, I think it’s complex. And the work done by Bearman was truly phenomenal. It shows that he’s really a shining star of the future.” – the Mercedes driver said at the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Words of praise that were also echoed by Charles Leclerc, his teammate at Ferrari, who described the performance of the rising Formula 2 driver as incredible.
“Everyone noticed how talented he is. And I imagine it’s only a matter of time before he arrives here in Formula 1.”
A debut that will likely lead Oliver Bearman to have a seat at Haas in 2025, fulfilling what he himself called a childhood dream in response to a specific question after Jeddah.
“It’s a childhood dream I’d love to fulfill. I have to keep pushing in F2 to make sure I can get that seat: that’s my goal for this year.” – the Ferrari Driver Academy member added.
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