Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner has been drawing attention to the rapid rise of Oliver Bearman, whose recent performances have begun to reshape the conversation around the future of Ferrari’s Formula 1 driver line-up. As the 2025 F1 season unfolds, the championship has seen a wave of talented newcomers establish themselves, proving that the sport’s next generation is arriving far sooner than expected. Drivers such as Isack Hadjar and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have already achieved breakthrough podium finishes, while Oliver Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto continue to demonstrate why teams view them as long-term investments.
Ollie Bearman’s rookie campaign began with significant difficulty, particularly after his incident-heavy debut in Melbourne. The early mistakes left him with a growing number of penalty points, placing him dangerously close to a one-race suspension. Yet the young British driver has completely transformed his season. Over the past four Grands Prix, he has delivered a string of points-scoring performances, showing both consistency and raw speed. These results have pushed him toward the edges of the top ten in the drivers’ standings—an impressive achievement given his inexperience and the competitive nature of the midfield battle.
Steiner, now speaking more freely since leaving Haas, has been unequivocal in his assessment: Ferrari cannot afford to ignore what is happening. In his view, Bearman is evolving into the type of driver who will soon attract aggressive interest from every major Formula 1 team. The former team principal suggested that the Scuderia must act decisively if they intend to secure Ollie Bearman’s long-term commitment, warning that the 20-year-old could quickly become one of the most coveted names in the 2027 driver market.
Top teams will chase Bearman, Steiner predicts
During an appearance on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner was asked whether Oliver Bearman should be considered as a potential successor to Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. He supported the idea and noted that the Ferrari junior has developed at a remarkable pace, particularly since the opening rounds of the season. Guenther Steiner explained that although Oliver Bearman made several errors early on, his recent form has shown a level of maturity and precision usually associated with far more experienced drivers.
According to Guenther Steiner, Oliver Bearman has been outperforming Esteban Ocon with increasing regularity, despite Esteban Ocon’s greater experience and significantly higher salary. The former Haasteam boss emphasized that, in his assessment, if Ferrari do not offer the Ferrari junior a seat by 2027, the young Brit will inevitably be signed by another front-running team. He portrayed Oliver Bearman as a driver who does not belong in the midfield and who is now proving, race after race, that he has the talent to compete at the top of the grid.
Guenther Steiner also commented on Oliver Bearman’s contractual situation, suggesting that Ferrari likely hold several options on the driver given the investment they have made in his junior career. Even so, Guenther Steiner noted that Oliver Bearman may have clauses that allow him to leave if Ferrari cannot place him in a race seat by a specific deadline, likely around 2027 or 2028. This, he warned, places additional pressure on the Italian team to make decisions sooner rather than later.
Ferrari face a complicated choice as Bearman improves
The rapid evolution of Oliver Bearman’s form has created a significant strategic challenge for Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur. The Scuderia are now overseeing a driver who appears capable of becoming a leading figure in the next generation of Formula 1 stars, yet they are also locked into long-term commitments with their current lineup. With Lewis Hamilton contracted until the end of 2027 and Charles Leclerc secured on an even longer deal, Ferrari are facing a dilemma that could shape the competitive landscape for years to come.
Bearman, for his part, is eliminating the mistakes that were frequent in the first races of the season. The most notable early misstep came at Silverstone, where a crash under a red flag ruined what could have been a strong home-race qualifying performance. Since then, however, he has demonstrated far greater composure and racecraft, and the trajectory of his development is impossible for Ferrari to ignore.
Guenther Steiner has suggested that Ocon should now be concerned, given how effectively Ollie Bearman has overturned the early-season deficit between them. As the British driver continues to outperform expectations, it becomes increasingly clear that Ferrari cannot keep him on loan at Haas indefinitely.
The issue is not Bearman’s talent—Ferrari recognize that they have one of the brightest young prospects on the grid. Instead, the challenge lies in the internal politics of the Scuderia. Moving aside a seven-time world champion such as Hamilton, or asking their long-serving star Leclerc to yield his position, would spark a major internal and external debate. Yet retaining Bearman without a clear path to a Ferrari seat may prove equally risky, especially if rival teams begin positioning themselves to lure him away.
As Oliver Bearman’s rise continues, Ferrari will need to make decisive choices about their long-term driver strategy. With the 2027 driver market shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory, the Scuderia know that hesitation could cost them one of the sport’s most promising talents.
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