- Oliver Bearman made his Formula One debut for Ferrari after a last-minute call
- He replaced Carlos Sainz one day before the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- The Brit reflected on his unusual rise from F2 to earning a permanent F1 seat
Oliver Bearman admitted that he suffered from ‘imposter syndrome’ while making his Formula One debut for Ferrari in March 2024.
At 18 years old, the Brit become the youngest driver to compete for the Scuderia, stepping up to replace Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Before FP3, Sainz withdrew from the event with appendicitis, meaning Bearman had just one practice session to get to grips with his machinery.
He qualified 11th on Friday and went on to finish seventh in the race, with his efforts being applauded across the paddock.
Since achieving this milestone, Bearman has completed two more races for Haas in Azerbaijan and Sao Paulo, and will permanently join the American-based team in 2025 alongside Esteban Ocon.
The London-born driver reflected on his last-minute debut for Ferrari and discussed his unorthodox breakthrough in Formula One.
At 18 years old, Oliver Bearman is the youngest driver ever to ever for Ferrari in Formula One
In his unexpected debut, he qualified 11th and climbed four places to finish seventh in the race
The Brit will join Haas in 2025 on a multi-year deal to partner ex-Alpine driver Esteban Ocon
‘In your first F1 race, you always have questions whether you’re actually good enough,’ the 19-year-old told the Financial Times.
‘It’s a bit of imposter syndrome, where you feel, “Do I really belong here? Have I really got what it takes?” Having done the race in Jeddah, I knew those questions were answered. I have my seat for next year.’
Alongside racing for PREMA in F2 this year, Bearman served as a reserve driver for both Ferrari and Haas, being a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2022.
He added that the opportunity to race competitively in Formula One comes seldom for reserve drivers, and explained that it was imperative he capitalised on his fortunes after being called up three times in 2024.
‘This year has been quite strange and unexpected in terms of my F1 appearances,’ Bearman noted.
‘No reserve driver goes into a year expecting to race, simply because it’s such a rare opportunity.
‘The fact that I’ve got two of those opportunities, I can’t help but realise how lucky I am. But the important thing is that, with those two opportunities, I really grasped them with both hands and made the most of them.
‘I gave performances to be proud of and managed to stand out. But I don’t think it will change my life. I just want to keep going and hopefully have some more standout performances.’
