Oliver Bearman, the young British driver currently racing for the Haas Formula 1 team, believes he has the potential and determination to one day secure a race seat at Scuderia Ferrari. Following a sensational Formula 1 debut in Saudi Arabia, where he replaced Carlos Sainz Jr. at Ferrari, Bearman has seen his rise in the sport accelerate, culminating in a confirmed full-time drive with Haas for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. Despite a challenging career path, Bearman credits his entry into the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) as a turning point, and the ultimate goal remains clear: to return to Ferrari and wear the iconic red race suit once again.
One story in particular reflects the kind of journey Bearman has experienced. In April 2023, during his rookie season in Formula 2, Ollie Bearman achieved an impressive double victory at the Baku round—winning both the Sprint and the Feature Race. Just a week later, on the occasion of his eighteenth birthday, one of his sponsors arranged a surprise meeting.
“They gave me a bit of a birthday celebration,” Bearman recalls. “Then they pointed to a Ferrari Roma parked nearby. I looked at it, and when I turned around, they handed me the keys and said: ‘Happy birthday.’”
Stunned, Bearman immediately called his father, David. “You won’t believe this!” he exclaimed. But the response on the other end was grounded: “That’s amazing, son… but don’t forget, you’ll have to pay for the insurance, and it won’t be cheap.”
In the Bearman household, even moments of triumph came with a dose of realism. Back in 2011, Oliver received a used go-kart for Christmas—a modest but meaningful start to his motorsport career. His father, David, had raced in British club events in a Porsche Boxster with the number 87—symbolic of the birthdays of his sons Oliver (May 8) and Thomas (August 7). That same number is now featured on Ollie’s Haas car.
As Oliver’s karting performances began to show promise, David made a crucial decision: “I stopped racing myself and redirected all the resources we had into supporting Ollie’s career.”
Motorsport ran in the family. “My dad raced, and so did my grandfather,” Oliver says. “It was just club-level stuff, for fun. They didn’t have the budget—or maybe not even the talent—to go further,” he laughs. “I remember going to races with my dad when I was five or six, watching him drive that Boxster. That’s when I fell in love with racing—the sounds, the smells, the entire atmosphere.”
Despite his passion, Oliver Bearman always knew opportunities were limited. “When I moved from karting to Formula 4, my dad was very clear—we couldn’t afford multiple seasons. It had to work straight away. We even had to minimize the testing program.”
That urgency to deliver results from day one became a defining trait of Ollie Bearman’s career. He was fast immediately in Formula 4, prompting the Ferrari Driver Academy to sign him. He continued that form in Formula 3 and Formula 2. But no level of preparation could have fully anticipated the call-up to Ferrari for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where he replaced an ill Carlos Sainz Jr. at the last moment.
“I only had a few hours’ notice,” Oliver Bearman remembers with a smile. “But it was the biggest opportunity of my life. My F2 season hadn’t been great until then, but once I got the chance to step into the Ferrari, I knew I had to show what I could do.”
“I was lucky to race that Grand Prix. Even though I had only done two previous days in a Formula 1 car, the feeling was incredible. I was nervous and didn’t want to make mistakes, which held me back a little, but I still managed to show about 50% of what I could really do—and that was enough to get me where I am now. Honestly, I don’t know where I’d be today if it weren’t for that weekend in Jeddah.”
Just four months later, Oliver Bearman received the call he had dreamed of.
“It was after the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, just before Silverstone. I think it was Monday or Tuesday. I was heading back to the UK when I got the news: I’d be racing for Haas full-time in 2025. It was such a special moment.”
Even before securing a permanent race seat, Oliver Bearman had already proven himself in substitute appearances for Haas in Baku and Interlagos, delivering strong performances on both occasions.
“In hindsight, I was quite lucky last year,” he admits. “I scored points with Ferrari and again with Haas in Baku. I even reached Q3 in Brazil. That made me think I’d always be in the mix for points whenever I drove. But this year, reality has shown how tight the margins are—we’re not in a position to aim for the top 10 every weekend.”
“I’ve had to adjust my expectations. There have been races where I’ve driven well and done a good job, but when you see your name in 12th or 15th at the end, it’s hard to feel satisfied. I try not to get discouraged. If I believe I’ve done a good job, that gives me energy for the next weekend. Scoring points came easily last year, and that shaped the expectations for this season. But we’re struggling a bit more than anticipated, and it’s tough to score consistently. Still, I’m hugely motivated. Maintaining the right mindset and staying positive is crucial.”
Bearman remains determined. As always, he’s pushing hard to reach his goals quickly. However, his current position under Ferrari’s wing means he can now focus entirely on his performance on track. He knows the ultimate goal: returning to Ferrari as a full-time driver. And he vividly remembers his first encounter with the Scuderia.
“After I won the Italian Formula 4 championship, I got invited to a test at Fiorano with the Ferrari Driver Academy. I was just 15. I remember how nervous I was, especially when I entered the office of Laurent Mekies, who was then the team’s sporting director. These were people I’d only seen on TV in Formula 1. I knew I had to prove I was worth the investment. I think my hands were shaking a little.”
“Then we moved to the track. I remember clearly the first time I left the Fiorano garage. It was a feeling I’d never experienced before. I’d seen Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc—legends who had all done the same. Even if I was just in an F4 car, it felt incredibly special. Two years later, I relived that sensation during my first Formula 1 test. It’s hard to describe what it feels like to wear that red suit. It made me feel immensely proud—and completely focused on wearing it again one day.”
Between 2023 and 2024, Oliver Bearman lived in Modena while traveling frequently to Maranello for simulator sessions.
“Modena is a beautiful city. Every time I go to Maranello, I make sure to pass through. Right now, I’m not obsessed with Ferrari. But I truly believe I have what it takes to become a Ferrari race driver. It’s up to me to prove it.”
“I’m sure the team at Maranello believes in me. They’ve supported me and given me the opportunity to be where I am today. That means they see the potential for me to one day race in red. And that’s what gets me out of bed every morning—it motivates me to improve and become the best version of myself. I want to race for Ferrari. I want to win for Ferrari. That’s my biggest goal in life.”
Oliver Bearman already owns a Ferrari—the Roma gifted to him in 2023. “It’s true, it’s my most prized possession. My first Ferrari, and I got it in such a special way. It’s always in my garage. And yes—I’m the one paying the insurance now!”
Oliver Bearman’s success has also opened the door for his younger brother, Thomas, who now competes in Formula 4. “If Ollie had still been in F2, I couldn’t have supported Thomas’ F4 program,” David Bearman explains. “But everything aligned perfectly.”
At the 2024 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Thomas raced in a support event. Both Ollie and their father were spotted watching from the service stairs overlooking the circuit. The road ahead for Thomas may be a little smoother than the one his older brother had to navigate, but Oliver Bearman’s career has been shaped by his ability to deliver under pressure. In a sport where second chances are rare, his capacity to perform immediately has become one of his greatest strengths.
