Despite a brilliant beginning in the F1 2024 season, Oliver Bearman urges to be labelled as a ‘rookie’
Scheduled for his first full-time season this year, Oliver Bearman is used to the pressures of Formula One, but in his mind, he still thinks of himself as a ‘rookie’. The 19-year-old Briton made his unexpected debut in 2024, stepping in for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after the Spaniard underwent surgery for appendicitis. Bearman achieved a seventh-place finish and remarkably kept ahead of experienced drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.
After his impressive début, he appeared again, twice in the same year, standing in for Kevin Magnussen at Haas for the second Azerbaijan and Sao Paulo Grands Prix. Even with three Formula 1 races already in his account, Bearman claims to still have lots to learn.
Why Oliver Bearman wishes to train like any other newcomer
In this murky area, Oliver Bearman is not alone. Despite having prior experience, he noted that other drivers on the grid had also been labeled rookies. In the F1 75 live event before Haas’ car launch, Bearman told Motorsport Week, “There are still tracks that I haven’t been to, and I still haven’t done a full season in F1, which in my mind makes me a rookie, but I am very lucky to have done three races and a lot of mileage behind the scenes. I’m feeling ready for my rookie season.”
A Racing Prodigy with an Ordinary Driving Test Failure
Bearman has been a star in the making since his early years of single-seater racing, making his debut in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship at the age of 15. He has been with the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2022 and is generally considered to be one of the brightest young stars in the sport.
Nevertheless, Bearman acknowledged that his journey to the permanent F1 drive was not free of setbacks—off track, that is. Queried about what had happened at his driving test, he confessed, “I passed it a few years ago since you can pass at 17 here [the UK], not 18 like in Italy,” he said. “I did pass [on my] second time—I shouldn’t have told [you] that.” Bearman explained that he didn’t stop at a ‘stop’ sign; instead, he slowed down. “We don’t have those on racetracks, so that was my first sighting of a ‘stop’ sign. But typical me, or typical probably racing driver, I thought I could pass my test without any lessons. So, that’s probably where I went wrong after that,” he joked.
Expectations for His First Full F1 Season
Haas had a good 2024 season with Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, finishing seventh in the Constructors’ Standings—their best since 2018. Bearman will be joined by Esteban Ocon in 2025 as the team hopes to build on last year.
With the season-opening Australian Grand Prix looming, Bearman conceded to having some nerves but is optimistic about his strategy. “Of course, there’ll be some nerves sitting there on the grid [in Melbourne]. But I don’t feel that there’ll be any more pressure than there was in Jeddah, in Baku, in Brazil—if anything, there’s even less,” he said. “I have so many opportunities this year to prove myself, but I don’t need to do anything crazy to start with. I just want to build up, step by step and I’m sure in Australia I’ll be feeling the nerves.”
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