Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei
Oliver Bearman turned a lot of heads in the F1 community following his performance at the Azerbaijan GP. One of them was ex-F1 team owner Eddie Jordan, who explained why the 19-year-old’s Baku result was more impressive than his one-off Ferrari appearance in Jeddah.
Talking to David Coulthard on the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan revealed that Bearman knew the SF-24. He had tested Ferrari’s car multiple times before filling in for Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian GP, so he knew what to expect. Bearman did a commendable job for the Prancing Horse, finishing P7 on the shores of the Red Sea.
Jordan added, “…and then out of the blue… he gets a chance in a Haas, where [Kevin] Magnussen is disqualified from a race. He gets in the car on a very short notice – I’m very sure a completely different driving style – whatever reason, he finished in the points again.”
Jordan labeled the outing ‘remarkable’ and recalled how Bearman was unfazed while tussling with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton on the track. The 39-year-old eventually prevailed, but Bearman still finished P10, earning a valuable point for Haas.
Jordan admitted that he sees a lot of talent in Bearman, who already has a seat confirmed for the 2025 season.
Bearman shows what to expect from him
Bearman’s one-off performance in Jeddah turned out to be the race that would change his career. In just a few weeks, several F1 teams reportedly wanted to sign him up, with Haas in the forefront.
Two months ago, his spot on the 2025 grid with the Kannapolis-based squad was officially announced, and in Baku, Bearman showed a glimpse of what he is capable of doing in the Haas car.
The young Briton has participated in two F1 races with two different teams so far, and he managed to score points in both. This achievement has earned him an unprecedented record: he is the first driver to score points for two different teams in just two races.
While his F2 campaign in 2024 hasn’t really taken off, the 19-year-old is mainly focusing on his maiden F1 season next year, without worrying about winning the feeder series. Bearman will be joined at Haas by current Alpine driver Esteban Ocon next season.
