Bearman Testing Ferrari At Fiorano Circuit Following His Debut In Jeddah

Wednesday, 13 March 2024 at 18:00

On Wednesday, Oliver Bearman, who jumped into F1 during the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, tested Ferrari's 2022 challenger F1-75 at Fiorano Circuit.

It is nowadays incredibly challenging to get a seat in Formula 1. Between seasons 2023 and 2024, all of the teams chose to stick with experienced drivers, so we weren't supposed to see a single new driver on the grid this year.

However, due to the unfortunate circumstances of Carlos Sainz, who was diagnosed with appendicitis ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, 18-year-old rookie Oliver Bearman got the opportunity of his life.

To put into perspective how often a rookie gets the chance to drive a Ferrari during a Grand Prix race, the last rookie to race for Scuderia was Italian Arturo Merzario in 1972.

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Nevertheless, the youngster dealt with the pressure better than expected and finished the race in P7. He even matched the lap times of Charles Leclerc on a few instances towards the end of the race.

The Monegasque driver recognized and highlighted Bearman's amazing performance after the race when he said it was only a matter of time before he officially got a seat in F1.

With six Free Practice sessions scheduled at Haas for the 2024 season, Oliver Bearman was definitely already on the radar of at least one Formula 1 team.

But, his showing during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix gained recognition even from top teams like Red Bull. Helmut Marko asserted he would immediately find him a spot in F1 if he were Ferrari.

The Prancing Horse seems to be doing everything they can to prepare the 18-year-old for a career in F1. While it isn't clear whether he will get another opportunity to race in the Grand Prix this season, Ferrari has already prepared a test run in F1-75 around Fiorano Circuit for him.