Oliver Bearman, the Ferrari reserve driver, made his surprising Formula 1 qualifying debut in Saudi Arabia. Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, praised Bearman, stating that he himself wasn’t ready for Formula 1 at 18. Bearman replaced Carlos Sainz, who was recovering from an appendectomy.
Despite limited practice, Bearman finished 11th in qualifying, narrowly missing out on Q3 by just 0.036 seconds. Hamilton expressed his admiration for Bearman’s performance and praised his talent and quick adaptation to challenging circumstances. Hamilton also acknowledged the difference in times and progression in the sport, reflecting on his own experience in Formula 3 at 18.
Hamilton, who will join Ferrari next year, recognized the upcoming race as a significant challenge for Bearman, but acknowledged the potential of his car to handle the tires well. Max Verstappen, the current world champion, also praised Bearman’s debut, emphasizing the difficulty of racing on the high-speed, high-risk Jeddah circuit.
Verstappen praised Bearman’s impressive performance, recognizing the stress and pressure that comes with entering a new car with no prior experience.
Fernando Alonso was on his way to winning his first Formula 1 championship in the year Bearman was born (2005), which the Spaniard described as “incredible.”
“He is an exceptional driver, extremely talented. This is not the easiest circuit to debut on, but he did exceptionally well today and I believe he will have a strong race tomorrow,” Alonso added.
Sergio Perez also acknowledged the challenging challenge that the Jeddah track represents for any Formula 1 rookie, while praising the newest driver to join the team.
“It’s a place where you don’t want to debut, because it’s one of the most demanding circuits,” admitted the Mexican driver.