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Oliver Bearman: The Rookie who Went from F2 Pole to Ferrari Points Scorer in a Whirlwind 24 Hours By The BBC Sport Team The global motor racing landscape was reset earlier this year by an emergency call-up that saw 18-year-old British driver Oliver Bearman make an extraordinary, points-scoring debut for Scuderia Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Stepping into the cockpit of the SF-24 with just hours’ notice to replace the unwell Carlos Sainz, the Formula 2 frontrunner delivered a mature and robust performance at the unforgiving Jeddah Corniche Circuit, securing a seventh-place finish that has dramatically accelerated his career trajectory and placed him firmly among the hottest properties on the Formula 1 driver market. Bearman, who was preparing for the Formula 2 feature race, was thrust into the spotlight on Friday morning when it was confirmed that Ferrari’s regular driver, Carlos Sainz, had been diagnosed with appendicitis and required immediate surgery, ruling him out of the remainder of the race weekend. This sudden withdrawal propelled the Chelmsford native, a member of the prestigious Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA), from his F2 car—which he had just placed on pole—straight into the elite ranks of F1. The Challenge of the Corniche Circuit The timing and location of the debut compounded the difficulty of the challenge. The Jeddah circuit is renowned for its high-speed, 27-corner layout, narrow confines, and limited run-off areas, demanding absolute precision and commitment—even from seasoned F1 veterans. With no experience in the Ferrari SF-24 beyond simulator work and previous test outings, Bearman’s first and only session in the car was the third and final practice (FP3), leaving him with barely an hour of track time before the high-stakes qualifying session. Despite this minimal preparation, Bearman demonstrated exceptional composure. In qualifying, he comfortably progressed through Q1 and came agonisingly close to making the final Q3 segment, falling short by just 0. 036s—a gap so thin it served as a powerful statement of his raw pace.
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Starting the Grand Prix from 11th position, he became the youngest driver in history to race for Ferrari. A Masterclass in Race Management The Grand Prix itself was a demonstration of the mental fortitude required at the pinnacle of motorsport. After an early safety car prompted most of the field to pit, Bearman was left in a long, demanding final stint on hard tyres. He successfully navigated the high-pressure environment, executing clean overtakes on experienced drivers like Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hülkenberg, and, crucially, managing his tyres effectively for the remainder of the 50-lap race. In the closing stages, the teenager faced an intense challenge from two world champions: Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, both on fresher, faster soft tyres. Bearman resisted the pressure with disciplined defensive driving, holding on to seventh place and securing six championship points for the Scuderia. His ability to maintain pace and avoid critical errors on such a challenging track with limited practice drew immediate praise from across the paddock. Pundit Reaction and Impact Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur was quick to praise his reserve driver’s unflappable performance. “He was very calm in his approach from the beginning,” Vasseur noted. “This was a huge asset because, you know, he has the pressure, you are reminding him of all the points of the story, that he is the youngest [driver] for Ferrari, blah, blah, blah, and for him, for sure it’s a huge pressure.
But he was able to skip it from his mind and focus on the real point. ” Vasseur added that he was particularly impressed by the lack of mistakes: “Today I was a bit scared with the procedure of the start, the pit stop and so that he didn’t do before, but he was very solid and he didn’t do a single mistake in the race. Overall it’s a fantastic job. ” Meanwhile, F1 analyst and former driver Martin Brundle remarked on the sheer quality of the debut. “Bearman has announced himself on the biggest possible stage, in the most iconic car,” Brundle stated in his race review. “His talent was not in doubt, but his clinical execution in such difficult, high-pressure circumstances was truly world-class. ” Bearman was overwhelmingly voted 'Driver of the Day' by the fans, cementing the public recognition of his performance. Future Outlook Bearman’s performance had an immediate, tangible impact on his professional future. Having been heavily linked with a full-time seat in the series, the points-scoring debut cemented his status as F1-ready talent. He has since been confirmed to join the Ferrari-powered Haas F1 Team for the following season, transitioning from the FDA programme to a permanent place on the F1 grid.
Reflecting on the unexpected opportunity, Bearman admitted the physical toll but expressed satisfaction with his showing. “I’m destroyed,” he said after the race. “Physically it was a really difficult race, especially at the end when I had the two guys on softs behind me. I had to basically push flat out. I think I put in a good showing for myself, which is the main thing. ” The debut in Jeddah was not only a personal success but a pivotal moment in the 2025 driver market, affirming the talent pipeline from Formula 2 into the top tier. While the immediate focus shifted back to his F2 campaign (where he was competing for the championship), the emergency drive remains the definitive demonstration that Oliver Bearman possesses the speed, maturity, and competitive edge to succeed in Formula 1. The challenge now lies in translating that single extraordinary opportunity into consistent performance across a full season with Haas. This YouTube video offers highlights of Oliver Bearman's Historic F1 Debut in the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which is the key event detailed in this article.
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