Oliver Bearman, born on May 8, 2005, is a British racing driver who has raced in Formula 2 for Prema Racing and has won the 2021 titles in both the Italian and ADAC Formula 4 championships, solidifying his promise of an F1 future.
As a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Bearman has been a reserve driver for Scuderia Ferrari and the Haas F1 Team. Positions that eventually culminated in his F1 race debut at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, when Bearman stepped in for the ill Carlos Sainz.
Early career
Bearman’s competitive racing journey began in 2013 in karting, racing at the Trent Valley Kart Club Championship. Progressing swiftly, he transitioned to the respected Super 1 National Championships, where he secured second place in both 2016 and 2017 in the Cadet category. His most notable win of the 2017 season came with a victory at the Kartmasters British Grand Prix. Ending his karting career on a high note in 2019, Bearman triumphed in the IAME International Final, IAME Euro Series, and IAME Winter Cup.
2020 season
In 2020, Bearman made the jump up to single-seater racing by joining the ADAC Formula 4 Championship with US Racing, while also competing in three rounds of the Italian F4 series. His first season in the ADAC German championship started with consistent points finishes in the first two rounds and a breakthrough win at the second race of the third round in Hockenheimring. Bearman went on to secure two additional podium finishes, at the Nürburgring and Oschersleben circuits. He concluded the 2020 ADAC season seventh in the drivers’ standings, ahead of his rookie teammate Vladislav Lomko but trailing behind top rookie and teammate Tim Tramnitz. In his outings in the Italian Championship, Bearman notched up two podium finishes, including a race win at Vallelunga, ultimately securing a tenth-place finish in the championship standings.
2021 season
For the 2021 season, Bearman made the switch to Van Amersfoort Racing, embarking on a dual campaign in both the German and Italian F4 Championships. His Italian series began with a podium finish at the Circuit Paul Ricard, followed by a streak of nine consecutive podiums and seven wins. This impressive run included wins at Misano and Vallelunga, where he secured a hat-trick of victories, as well as notable wins at Imola. However, he suffered a setback when he was disqualified from the third Imola race due to an engine irregularity, halting his streak despite initially crossing the finish line first. Undeterred, Bearman bounced back with his eighth win of the season at the following Red Bull Ring race, complemented by another podium finish. In the penultimate round of the 2021 season, Bearman clinched the championship title with a tenth-place finish in the third race, sealing the title race against his closest rival, Tim Tramnitz.
At the same time, in the German championship, Bearman secured six wins. Engaged in a season-long battle with Tramnitz, Bearman emerged victorious, claiming the championship title at the season finale at the Nürburgring. This remarkable achievement made him the first driver to secure two successive Formula 4 titles in a single year.
Recognising his outstanding performances, Bearman was nominated for the Autosport BRDC Award in September 2021. He was also honoured with the prestigious Henry Surtees Award for exceptional performance as a BRDC rising star in December 2021.
In addition to his drives in Formula 4, Bearman competed in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with Fortec Motorsports, alongside teammates Roberto Faria and Mikkel Grundtvig. He made a strong start to his campaign with two second-place finishes in the first races at Brands Hatch. Skipping the subsequent three rounds to focus on his Formula 4 campaign, Bearman returned to action at the Snetterton Circuit, where he clinched victory in the opening race. His momentum continued as he secured pole position for the first race at Silverstone. However, his chances of a win were thwarted when he lost his front left wheel on the second lap. His highest finish that weekend was a second-place finish in Race 2.
2022 Season
FIA Formula 3 Championship
On October 31, 2021, Bearman’s participation in the post-season test of the FIA Formula 3 Championship was announced, aligning him with Prema Racing alongside Jak Crawford, Arthur Leclerc, and Paul Aron. Later that year, it was confirmed that Bearman would drive for Prema Racing in the 2022 season alongside Crawford and Leclerc.
Bearman’s season began with a strong showing in Bahrain, leading the first race but receiving a penalty for track limits, ultimately finishing second behind Isack Hadjar. Subsequent races saw mixed results, with a sixth-place finish in the feature race at Imola marred by incidents, including a collision with Grégoire Saucy. However, Bearman found his stride in the following rounds, securing third-place finishes in feature races at Silverstone, Spielberg, and Budapest. At Spa-Francorchamps, he claimed his first victory in the category during a challenging race affected by multiple safety car periods.
Despite setbacks such as a red flag in qualifying at Zandvoort and a penalty during the race, Bearman remained resilient, showcasing impressive overtaking maneuvers and finishing second in the sprint race at Monza. Ultimately, he concluded the season in third place in the standings, just seven points behind the champion, Victor Martins. Despite expressing regret over missed opportunities, Bearman expressed satisfaction with his third-place finish in the championship.
2023 season
FIA Formula 2 Championship
On November 14, 2022, Bearman’s entry into the 2023 Formula 2 Championship with Prema Racing, where he partnered with Mercedes junior Frederik Vesti, was confirmed. His season debut in Bahrain saw him start 12th in qualifying, followed by a challenging Sprint race that resulted in a 15th-place finish. Despite an early promise in the feature race, Bearman faced tyre degradation issues, ultimately finishing 14th.
In Jeddah, Bearman showed his potential by qualifying second after leading practice sessions. However, his Sprint race ended abruptly due to a collision, and in the feature race, despite an early lead, a spin dropped him to tenth place.
Moving on to Melbourne, a crash in qualifying hindered his performance, but he managed seventh place in the Sprint race. However, his feature race was plagued by pit lane troubles, resulting in a disappointing 17th-place finish.
His 2023 breakthrough came in Azerbaijan, where Bearman clinched his first F2 victory in a dramatic Sprint race, followed by a pole position for the feature race despite a steering issue. He went on to win the feature race, becoming only the ninth driver in Formula 2 history to achieve a double victory and the fourth as a rookie.
In Monaco, suspension problems led to an early retirement in the sprint race, and despite strong overtaking moves, he finished 11th in the feature race.
Barcelona brought redemption as Bearman secured pole position for the feature race and claimed the win, propelling him to fourth in the 2023 drivers’ standings. He continued his momentum in Austria with a fifth-place finish in the feature race, executing a strategic pit stop under the safety car.
At Silverstone, Bearman’s home race, he faced challenges but managed to secure points positions in both the Sprint and feature races.
Qualifying sixth in Hungary, he secured a podium finish in the Sprint race but struggled in the feature race, finishing 12th.
In Belgium, despite securing pole position, Bearman faced penalties and finished 12th and 7th in the sprint and feature races, respectively.
At Zandvoort, he encountered difficulties with spins and collisions but managed to finish third in the aborted sprint race. However, a collision in the feature race ended his chances, denting his title aspirations.
At Monza, Bearman secured a podium finish in the feature race but faced disappointment in the sprint race, ending his slim title chances.
The season finale in Abu Dhabi saw Bearman finish 10th in the sprint race and retire due to an engine failure in the feature race, concluding his rookie campaign in Formula 2.
Bearman finished sixth in the drivers’ championship with 130 points, achieving four wins, five podiums, two pole positions, and two fastest laps. He also helped Prema Racing to secure second-place in the team championship.
Formula One
In October 2021, Bearman’s talent earned him a spot as one of the finalists in the Ferrari Driver Academy’s Scouting World Final. Following this, in November 2021, Bearman was officially welcomed into the Academy, joining fellow karting champion Rafael Câmara.
Two years later, in October 2023, Bearman made his Formula One debut, taking part in a private test at Fiorano with Ferrari, followed by his maiden appearance in a Formula 1 car during a free practice session at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix with the Haas F1 Team. Impressively, he finished 15th, only just behind his teammate Nico Hülkenberg by three-tenths, a performance that reaped praise from Haas, who were “very impressed.” Bearman also participated in another free practice session at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and later took part in the young drivers’ test, behind the wheel of the Haas VF-23.
2024 F1 season
On January 27, 2024, Bearman’s journey with Ferrari continued as he was appointed as the team’s reserve driver for the 2024 season, sharing the role with Robert Shwartzman and Antonio Giovinazzi. He was also confirmed as the reserve driver for Haas.
The climax of Bearman’s efforts in the sport was at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where he stepped into the spotlight by replacing Carlos Sainz, who was sidelined due to appendicitis. This marked Bearman’s highly anticipated Formula 1 debut, with a race result finish of sixth place, a remarkable achievement that underscored his promising career trajectory.
