The young Ferrari star is receiving the recognition he deserves after his debut in Jeddah. Oliver Bearman stepped in for the driver (driver’s name) during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, after the Spaniard was hospitalized for an emergency appendectomy following Friday’s FP2. Bearman had only the final practice session before qualifying to familiarize himself with the car. The young Englishman delivered his best performance and secured 11th place in qualifying.
What surprised everyone was the impressive performance of the 18-year-old during the race. Oliver Bearman scored his first points in the championship by finishing in 7th place, surpassing names like (drivers’ names). Someone who is competing in Formula 1 for the first time and achieving such results deserves a permanent place, and the head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, (name), supports this demand.
According to Clear, Bearman is an exceptionally intelligent driver. There were many occasions during the Saudi Arabian GP where he could have made mistakes, but he didn’t. Racing on such a challenging circuit, with a fast car for the first time and against experienced drivers, is intimidating for anyone. However, Bearman managed to maintain his pace and even got faster towards the end of the race, showcasing his brilliance and impressing Ferrari.
Ferrari offered Bearman special padding for the race, as the car was initially designed with (driver’s name) in mind. However, Bearman requested the removal of the padding. During the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Red Bull’s reserve driver, (name), noted that this decision made the race more challenging for Bearman.
Lawson also suspected that Bearman may have underestimated the effects of constant G forces due to his lack of experience, which would explain why he requested the removal of the extra padding around the headrest. The headrest is essential to support the neck and prevent head injuries during intense G forces.
In Formula 1, the G force is much stronger than in F2, which may explain why Bearman did not anticipate it, leaving him unprepared for the higher G forces experienced during the race. Bearman later admitted to the press that the race was physically demanding.
