Oliver Bearman is undoubtedly the driver of the day, with the Englishman managing to finish the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in seventh place.
Imagine making your Formula 1 debut at 18 for Scuderia Ferrari, never having driven the car before, with only 60 minutes to prepare for qualifying and the race. If yesterday’s eleventh place was already a respectable result, what Oliver Bearman showed tonight is an absolute masterpiece.
The young Ferrari talent not only managed to finish in the points but also crossed the finish line ahead of much more illustrious colleagues in terms of achievements, such as Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton. Yet, despite the outstanding result and the tremendous physical effort, the barely legal-aged Englishman maintained composure and unwavering clarity in front of the cameras.
“How do I feel? A bit tired,” the British driver began with a smile in post-race interviews. “You can probably tell I’m not at my best. It was a fantastic race. I pushed the whole time. I was shocked by the speed at which we were pushing, getting faster every lap.” – the Ferrari Driver Academy member continued.
“It was incredible, especially towards the end when the two drivers with soft tires were behind me. I couldn’t relax. I always looked in the mirrors, trying to push to the maximum, but it was a truly exciting and fun race.”
Despite a decidedly worn-out hard tire, against Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton’s new softs, Oliver Bearman still managed to maintain the gap, showcasing an incredibly competitive pace: “The countdown seemed to go slower than usual, but I think we managed it very well.”
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“There wasn’t a real recovery, and it felt like I had a bit of margin if needed and also some engine mode. I think I set my fastest lap on the last lap. I decided to push and see what I could do.” – he pointed out – “It was a lot of fun, and I felt good confidence. During the race, especially towards the end of the stint with the hards, when I understood how the car behaved beneath me, I felt I could push.”
In the middle of the race, Ollie had a tough time against Nico Hulkenberg, with the German managing to pass him a couple of times before finally giving up the position: “I was stuck, as if he was using his experience and the battery in the right place to keep me behind. It took me a couple of attempts. It’s a bit more challenging to overtake in Formula 1 than in Formula 2. Once I passed him, I could show my pace, but it’s tough to follow, especially for me, who had never done it before. Getting so close to these walls, a second behind the driver in front, is difficult. It takes a bit more precision.” – the talented, young driver concluded at the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.
Source: f1ingenerale
