The 19-year-old Oliver Bearman is making his debut this season with the Haas team. After a number of heroic stand-ins in 2024, the young Brit will soon have his own seat. He is not the only rookie moving up to the premier class this year; along with him, four other rookies are making their debut. Bearman believes that the relatively large number of newcomers can only work in his favor.
After a season without driver changes in 2024, Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Ferrari brought about changes early on. However, Hamilton would not be the first British Ferrari driver since Eddie Irvine. Oliver Bearman was called up in March to replace Carlos Sainz Jr during the Saudi Arabian GP, as the Spaniard was suffering from appendicitis. The young Brit impressed by finishing seventh, opening the door for other young drivers wanting to make the leap to Formula 1.
In the end, there are as many as five rookies on the grid this year. Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are all making their debut. Red Bull driver Liam Lawson has never started a Formula 1 season before, but has already raced in eleven Grands Prix. In an interview with Autosport, Bearman delved deeper into the newcomers strengthening the Formula 1 grid this season. With so many debutants, he thinks a buffer is being formed against the intense pressure of a first season in Formula 1.
Shared Experience
“I was the first one to be announced,” says Bearman. “For a few months, I was the only rookie on the grid. That was quite a daunting prospect. Knowing that there are other rookies reassures me somewhat – simply because I know I’m not the only one facing a new season and a new challenge. There are others who are doing this with me, and that’s a comforting feeling.”
The young driver from Chelmsford further explained that he has a good rapport with his peers. “I raced against Jack (Doohan) in Formula 2 in 2023,” he elaborated. “I naturally know Antonelli, Bortoleto, and Hadjar from last year – we have a good relationship.” Bearman has a particularly close bond with 18-year-old Antonelli. “I’ve been his teammate for a year. I’m very pleased to be sharing the track with them this year. It’s all coming together now.”
