Oliver Bearman labelled ‘incredibly lucky’ to secure F1 2025 drive with Haas F1 team

Oliver Bearman after his F1 qualifying debut with Ferrari.

Oliver Bearman was “incredibly lucky” to make his F1 debut with Ferrari when he did as Naomi Schiff reckons, based on his F1 results, he would not have secured his Haas promotion.

Stepping up to Formula 2 this season, the Prema driver qualified on pole position at round two of the series, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but had to give that up when he was called in to replace Carlos Sainz in Formula 1.

Ollie Bearman is P15 in the F2 standings but P14 in F1

Qualifying 11th in his first outing in Formula 1 with Ferrari, Bearman raced his way to seventh place on the Sunday and earned widespread praise for his heroics.

Even Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, who is in charge of the team’s junior programme, noted the Briton’s performance and how that boded well for the stars of the future.

And yet, ironically, Bearman has not shone in Formula 2.

Heading into the summer break, the 19-year-old had managed just one race victory, a P1 at the Red Bull Ring’s Sprint race, while he has yet to repeat his lost Saudi Arabian qualifying P1.

Sitting 15th in the Formula 2 championship, he’s actually one place down on the P14 he holds in the official Formula 1 standings, with his P7 in Jeddah earning him six points.

It’s fair to say he won’t be getting backed for race wins anytime soon by anyone with an interest in online sports betting, yet the Briton has already secured his F1 future, having been announced by Haas in July.

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As such, former racer turned pundit Schiff reckons Bearman was lucky to have that cameo appearance in Jeddah to secure his F1 future.

“I think he was incredibly lucky,” Schiff told Sky F1. “Obviously he had shown potential and that’s the reason why he was standing for Ferrari.

“But he was incredibly lucky to get that opportunity in Saudi to really display what he’s able to do because based off of his results in Formula Two this year he would probably not have been a candidate for the seat.

“Now he’s got six free practices, he obviously did one last year with Haas as well, he’s got six practices this year. So I think he’s going to come into Formula One pretty prepared.

“I mean not a lot of drivers get to come in and have lived in the real action on many on occasions.”

When Bearman makes his debut next year he’ll use the #87, a number he has raced with throughout his career and holds special significance for his family.

“I am going to use 87, that’s confirmed,” he explained to the media including PlanetF1.com. “I didn’t get to choose my number in Jeddah. And first of all, even if I did, that was the last of my worries!

“It [#87] is the number that I raced since the beginning and it’s the number that my dad raced with – because I’m born on the eighth of May, and my brother on the seventh of August.

“So, 87 is the number of choice, and that will continue to be the case.”

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