On March 9, at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, 18-year-old Oliver Bearman made history, becoming the youngest-ever F1 driver.
Ferrari's reserve driver Bearman stepped in to replace Carlos Sainz, who was sidelined due to appendicitis, and impressed all with his skill and determination. He came seventh in the race, and scored six points for Ferrari.
Despite having a Formula 2 race the same day—where he secured pole position—Bearman made his mark in the primary league of motorsport. He made the most of the limited practice time during Free Practice 3, where he quickly adapted to the high-speed turns of the Jeddah track. During qualifying, he pushed himself to the limit, narrowly missing out on a top 10 starting position by a mere 0.0036 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton.
On race day, starting on soft tyres, Bearman engaged in close battles, ultimately gaining positions after a safety car period caused by Lance Stroll's crash. Taking advantage of strategic tyre changes, he maintained his position and even gained spots as his competitors pitted.
Bearman's impressive debut will stand him in good stead in future when Ferrari looks ahead.
With a proven track record of success, Bearman's journey to Formula 1 began with championship victories in the 2021 ADAC Formula and Italian Formula 4 series.
A look at some of his racing records:
2024: Ferrari academy driver, so mainly for the Ferrari and Haas team
2023: FIA Formula 2 Championship - 6th
And had two practice session in Haas team
2022: FIA Formula 3 Championship - 3rd
Formula Regional Asian Championship - 15th
