Oliver Bearman was a bold choice made by Ferrari to serve as a reserve driver in Maranello in 2024.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix presented a lot of uncertainty for the Ferrari team. Due to a medical emergency, the Italian team needed a substitute to take Carlos Sainz’s place. As evidenced by the results, reserve driver Oliver Bearman exceeded expectations and finished in 7th place. This led Fred Vasseur to investigate the reasons behind the 18-year-old’s selection as the Scuderia’s third driver for 2024.
Carlos Sainz’s absence was due to appendicitis, which forced him to miss the race. As a result, the team chose the 18-year-old rookie to fill his spot. Bearman, in his Formula 1 debut, secured a 7th place finish and scored points. He expressed his joy in scoring points and also discussed the challenges he faced during the race.
Team principal Fred Vasseur provided an explanation for choosing Bearman over other options. Vasseur stated that it would not be practical to ask Giovinazzi to race in Formula 1 while fulfilling his duties in Le Mans Hypercar. The Italian driver was already involved in the LMH program and could not compete in both categories simultaneously.
Furthermore, Vasseur emphasized the importance of the LMH program and how it represents a major challenge for Ferrari. The team had already won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Consequently, Giovinazzi or any other driver could not be expected to juggle both Formula 1 and LMH activities. Therefore, Bearman was the preferred choice for the reserve driver role at Ferrari.
With just 18 years old, Bearman not only scored points in Saudi Arabia, but also became the third youngest driver to compete in Formula 1. He expressed his wish for Carlos Sainz to recover quickly and return to the wheel. However, this does not mean that Bearman himself does not want to race in Formula 1.
Bearman also acknowledged that the car rightfully belongs to Carlos Sainz and that he should be the one driving it. According to team updates, it is expected that Sainz will fully recover by the next weekend. The Spanish driver will likely participate in the next race after missing out in Jeddah.
Ferrari has already been delivering impressive results throughout the season. This has allowed Maranello to establish a significant advantage over Mercedes from the start. Currently, the team is preparing for the next Australian Grand Prix, while Carlos Sainz recovers from his illness. Bearman will resume his duties in Formula 2 and will continue to act as a reserve driver in Maranello.
