(Motorsport-Total.com) – Oliver Bearman stepped in at short notice in Saudi Arabia in 2024 for Carlos Sainz, who was suffering from appendicitis, and replaced him at Ferrari. The then 18-year-old became the Scuderia’s youngest debutant of all time and drove straight into the points in seventh place.
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Although the Briton will take the wheel as a regular driver for the Haas team in the 2025 season, the umbilical cord to Maranello remains shorter than ever. In an interview with the High Performance Podcast, “Ollie” makes no secret of the fact that his path is intended to lead back into the scarlet car.
“The dialogue remained very open throughout the year and that will remain the case as long as I am connected with Ferrari,” explains Bearman. Since his days in Formula 4, he has been part of the Ferrari family – an investment that has already paid off for both sides.
Clear communication
Driving for Haas and waiting for his chance brings its own challenges for a rookie. Bearman emphasizes how important communication with his supporters in Italy is in order to correctly categorize his performance in the Haas.
“It was very important to me to clarify what I’m going through at Haas,” says the 20-year-old. “The scale is on another level. At Ferrari, you have incredible support thanks to the enormous manpower, additional staff at every corner. At Haas, the structure is different. Especially as a rookie, I felt that I had to learn the trade there much more intensively ‘on the job’.”
For Bearman, it is crucial that the Ferrari bosses look behind the scenes: “You see the result, but that doesn’t tell the whole story, not even half of it. That’s why it was important to disclose my difficulties at Haas.”
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Will he succeed Hamilton?
The feedback from Maranello is simple and demanding at the same time: “They tell me what they want to see from me, where I need to improve – and that’s exactly what you’d imagine: just driving a bit faster every weekend.”
While Lewis Hamilton has opened his chapter in red alongside Charles Leclerc in 2025, it is worth looking into the future. Hamilton is already 41 years old – rumors about a possible end to his career are a constant companion, even if the record world champion himself currently has no plans to retire.
Behind the scenes, Bearman has long been considered the logical successor to the seat next to Leclerc. When asked if the dream of Ferrari is still alive, he answers without hesitation: “Yes, of course. They trusted me and entrusted me with their car two years ago. But they believed in me much earlier when they signed me in Formula 4.”
The loyalty runs deep: “They have invested a lot in me. My dream is to one day put on the red suit again and sit in a red car.” Nevertheless, the focus is currently on the duty at Haas: “This year is a great opportunity, especially with the new regulations. I have the feeling that we can achieve a lot.”
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