Author: quyen1

Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

Hyped to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo is under more pressure than any other F1 driver. The Australian hasn’t had the best start to the season, with his teammate outperforming him in the first two races. Spinning out in Jeddah did not help Ricciardo’s case either, as the pressure continued to grow on him. On the latest episode of the Formula for Success podcast, former F1 team principal Eddie Jordan expressed caution to the Honey Badger about his future in the sport.

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Speaking about Ricciardo, Jordan claimed that there might not be a more loved personality in F1. The 75-year-old referred to Ricciardo as a “magic guy” to have on the team. However, he added a lovable personality wouldn’t be enough to be a driver in F1.

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There have been no impressive performances from Ricciardo that could convince Jordan to spend his sponsorship money to hire him.

“He needs a result more than anyone perhaps. He needs to get it together because otherwise he’s going to be replaced. He can understand why he would be replaced because the performances are not just there.”, said Jordan.

With younger talents like Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson awaiting their turn, question marks continue to grow around Ricciardo. Jordan believes that Ricciardo needs to ponder over how much time he has left, given his performances. Notably, Jordan isn’t the only one demanding stronger performances from Ricciardo.

Helmut Marko wants to see more from Daniel Ricciardo

Writing a column for SpeedWeek recently, Helmut Marko talked about the opening performance of the Visa Cash App RB drivers. While Yuki Tsunoda impressed Marko greatly, the case isn’t the same with Ricciardo. Noting that there was a lot at stake for both drivers, Marko claimed Ricciardo needed to come up with something soon.

Tsunoda has at least been good in qualifying sessions, and the first stint in Jeddah was also quite decent from him. Ricciardo, on the other hand, has been struggling in each aspect. Furthermore, the spin in Jeddah made him look like an amateur.

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F1 will return in late March with the third race of the season in Australia. Hopes will be high for Ricciardo to kickstart his season, given it will be his home race. The Honey Badger is yet to score a point this season, and he will be hoping to open his tally in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, Marko also called out the V-CARB team as a whole to improve on their outings. They need to find more pace in their car, much like they did during the pre-season testing. Should they be able to do so, Marko believes the team has a shot at finishing 6th in the constructors’ championship.

Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

Max Verstappen may be cruising to victory every weekend in F1. However, behind him, the competition remains tough and it also involves his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. The Mexican has been under the radar for his inconsistent performances and his inability to be close to Verstappen’s pace. Thus, there have been speculations about whether Red Bull may look to bring in a better and faster teammate for the Dutchman in the future. Amid these speculations, the reigning champion was posed with an interesting question that put him in a sticky situation.

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As per a video on Twitter (now X), Verstappen got this question at a promotional appearance: who among Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso would perform better in equal machinery? The three-time champion was on the spot as the question poked at his teammate’s relative performances to him.

The video shows Verstappen chuckling and asking the individual instead, “Are you Spanish or Mexican”? This perhaps indicated his strategy to alter his answer as per the questioning man’s nationality.

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The future of Perez remains uncertain due to his inconsistent performances last year. However, the 34-year-old has started 2024 on a better note with consecutive P2 finishes behind Verstappen.

On the other hand, Alonso has been a driver to watch out for in the midfield ever since last year. With Aston Martin not able to take the next step towards race wins and championships, there have been speculations on whether the Spaniard may look to switch teams.

It is pertinent to note that there have always been links between Red Bull and Alonso. The Austrian team could have signed the two-time champion back in the day. Moreover, even in the present day, many have touted Alonso to be the correct replacement if Verstappen does surprisingly choose to leave Red Bull.

How likely is it to see Fernando Alonso besides Max Verstappen rather than replacing him?

Fernando Alonso was reportedly quite close to signing up for Red Bull in 2009. Team boss Christian Horner has always respected the Spaniard’s talent and would have wanted him to drive for the Milton Keynes outfit. Cut to 2024, and the situation is bringing Alonso closer to a Red Bull negotiation again.

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Amid the political turmoil at the Austrian team, there have been statements from Max Verstappen that he may consider his future options. He made these remarks amid rumors that Red Bull could suspend Helmut Marko. However, Red Bull have ensured to quieten the rumors by assuring and retaining Marko.

So, Alonso getting into Verstappen’s seat is an unlikely possibility as things stand. So, what about the second Red Bull seat? Ever since Daniel Ricciardo left in 2018, Verstappen has had several teammates, with the latest being Sergio Perez.

2024 is the last year of the Mexican driver’s contract with Red Bull, so there are possibilities wide open for the Dutchman to potentially again have a new teammate in the future. Initially, Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda were the prime contenders for Perez’s seat for 2025.

However, the internal strife at RB is not allowing them to unleash their best performances. While Tsunoda is not showing enough maturity for a promotion, the Aussie veteran has underperformed in the opening two races of 2024.

Thus, Perez is relatively safe with his season starting on the right note. However, just in case the #11 driver begins to underperform again, drivers like Alonso and Carlos Sainz, who are free agents for next season, may knock on Red Bull’s doors.

It certainly depends on whom the Austrian team wants to sign. Their policy of preferring young drivers may reduce Alonso’s chances, but the 42-year-old’s speed and skill are likely to make him at least one of Red Bull’s candidates.

Credits: IMAGO / Eibner

Sergio Perez is in the last year of his contract as his tenure to sit in the Red Bull car ends in 2024. The Mexican driver has been on the Austrian team since 2021 and this is his fourth year racing alongside Max Verstappen. However, this could be his last season in the team if he fails to perform and match the expectations. There isn’t any shortage of drivers eyeing the much-coveted seat. Therefore, Perez must perform to earn his 2025 stay as it’s his seat to lose, warned Christian Horner.

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The Red Bull boss stated that at least 16 drivers are looking at the Red Bull seat. Speaking about the same, Horner said in a report published by SpeedWeek, “We have a phenomenal car. We’ve got one seat open for next year. I’ve probably got 16 drivers who are desperate to be in that car for next year. And Checo is in pole position. It’s his seat to lose.”

Perez has been under fire at Red Bull since his inconsistent performances in 2023. The #11 driver, chasing the championship had a drastic fall from grace. The 34-year-old only claimed two wins out of 22 races, whereas his teammate Verstappen took 19.

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Perez’s ambition for the F1 world championship met a brutal fate as he got knocked out in Q1 and finished races outside of points multiple times. At the same time, his Dutch teammate clinched 17 wins out of a total of 18 races, driving the same RB19 after the Mexican’s win in Baku. Therefore, the management had enough reasons to be upset with Checo.

However, Red Bull kept their faith in him and allowed him to continue in 2024. In doing so, the former Force India driver managed to collect himself and finished the season in P2, allowing Red Bull a much-needed 1-2 finish in the Drivers’ Championship last year.

Coming into 2024, Perez has continued his run of podiums. He claimed two back-to-back P2 finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia so far and is avoiding any set-up-related gambles. Therefore, he is keeping up with the pressure to play second fiddle to Verstappen, willingly or unwillingly.

Possible candidates to replace Sergio Perez

Two prominent names who can replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull in 2025 are Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda. The Honey Badger returned to the Austrian team in 2023 in the capacity of a reserve driver. However, Nyck de Vries’ termination allowed him to take the seat at AlphaTauri, currently RB.

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Despite driving for the sister team, Ricciardo mentioned that getting back to Red Bull Racing has always been his primary aim. Therefore, the Australian driver who is trying to show his worth, would be more than ready to snatch Perez’s seat at the first available opportunity.

Tsunoda, on the other hand, has been driving for the Faenza-based team for four years now. Hence, he would look to step up his game for good. The visible competition between the drivers for the coveted seat has grabbed ample attention right in the first race of 2024.

The RB duo shared fierce radio exchanges after the team ordered them to swap positions. This proves how the drivers are ready to outwit and outperform one another. All for Sergio Perez’s seat in Red Bull, alongside Max Verstappen.

Credits: IMAGO Marco Canoniero

Max Verstappen is continuing his successes of last season in 2024 too. In the first two races of the 2024 campaign, the Dutchman has recorded a 100% win mark. Thus, hinting that this season could be even better than the last. And this prompts Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds to make a statement on the future of F1. Dodds boasted Formula E’s penchant for having more unpredictable races and slammed F1 in the process.

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“We are very focused on maintaining our great competitive nature. I know that I have made a bet recently, in which you have seen on a certain victory for Max Verstappen, on how sure I am that he will win the World Cup this year,” he said while speaking to RacingNews 365, as per SoyMotor.com.

Dodds even mentioned how F1 with more conventional engineering is monotonous as he can see the Red Bull star winning all 24 races. And that leaves him uninspired by F1. “We don’t want to be that type of sport,” he added.

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In reality, Formula E has indeed been more competitive in comparison to F1. In the current season, three races have taken place so far, and each one has seen a different winner. However, the fourth race is yet to happen while this article was under publishing.

In addition, in the last nine seasons, there have been eight different champions of the sport. So, there is definitely a level of unpredictability. But F1 may see its renaissance soon enough.

Max Verstappen may see the end of his current dominance soon enough

Red Bull has undoubtedly managed to nail the current regulations better than others. Thus, their car is likely to be the best up until the end of the 2025 season. Moreover, Max Verstappen’s command over the current generation of Red Bull cars is extraordinary. Thus, making him better than most of the drivers on the grid in the same car.

But with the new engine regulations about to enter in 2026, Red Bull might lose its edge over others. This is because, for the first time, they will be entering into their own engine operations in partnership with Ford.

On the other hand, the current climate in Red Bull has rumored Verstappen to be dissatisfied and has also flown reports of him leaving the team prematurely. If that happens, he will most likely not be in the best car anymore and might not win the 2025 title as many expect him to if he stays at Red Bull.

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However, whichever team he will join after that, he would most probably consider the prospects of that team beyond 2026. For example, Mercedes, which is known for making powerful engines, dominated from 2014 to 2020 because of the last power unit change. So, losing a title in 2025 to reignite dominance wouldn’t be a bad call by the 26-year-old.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

“It’s Hammer time” and “Get in there, Lewis” are iconic radio messages that signify the relationship between Peter Bonnington aka Bono, and Lewis Hamilton. Precisely, their bond has only deepened ever since the Briton jumped ship to Mercedes in 2013. Last year, they completed 200 Grands Prix and 10 years together as a driver-engineer duo. An unearthed video, supposedly from the same time on Twitter (now X) showcases Bonnington recalling the memories from 2013 and his expectations when he first met Hamilton.

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He said, “It was a bit nervous meeting you for the first time. The rockstar just came into that team.” Bonnington summarized how the entire team including him was unaware of the impending success they were going to achieve with the Stevenage-born driver. He added,

“Something you couldn’t really get your head around. You thought a championship or two would be just unreal, but wow how far we’ve come”.

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The 49-year-old also recalled his times with Hamilton, and how regularly they used to spend the race weekends trying to figure out their plans to win. Eventually, Bonnington cited how the British champ used to “just come out and deliver”, regardless of the circumstances.

Hamilton completed 200 races with Bono at the 2023 Australian GP. While the seven-time champion has faced a rough period since the advent of the ground effect regulations in 2022, the British engineer has been a solid support system as usual, like his glory days pre-2021.

Although now, this duo will eventually part ways as Hamilton has finalized his move to Ferrari in 2025.

Will Peter Bonnington move to Ferrari besides Lewis Hamilton?

Lewis Hamilton is into his 12th and final season with Mercedes and Peter Bonnington. The Briton will part ways with Bono as his race engineer at the end of 2024. Many of his fans are quite sad about this separation as a result of the blockbuster Ferrari move.

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There have been rumors of whether the British engineer would follow Hamilton to Maranello as his confidante. With senior figures like Loic Serra already joining the Italian team, there were possibilities that the 39-year-old may convince his trusted race engineer to follow suit too.

However, that won’t be happening, as an anti-poaching clause prohibits Hamilton from taking any engineers with him, while he is leaving. Serra, on the other hand, is leaving on his terms and was signed by the Maranello-based team, even before Hamilton’s announcement happened.

Meanwhile, reports also suggest that Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has confirmed that Riccardo Adami, who is Carlos Sainz’s current engineer will also serve as the #44 driver’s engineer, come 2025. Adami has been working with the Maranello outfit since 2015 and has also worked with Sebastian Vettel previously.

So, as heartbreaking as it seems that Hamilton will part ways with Bonnington, he will start a fresh chapter with another experienced race engineer at Ferrari.

Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Having recently debuted in Formula 1, Ferrari reserve driver Oliver Bearman has named his dream team for the 24 Hours of Le Mans if he ever competes in it. The 18-year-old has also already agreed to take the blame for defeat if he does. In a video that has surfaced on X (formerly Twitter), Bearman said, ” [Lewis] Hamilton, [Charles] Leclerc and me. And if we don’t win, it’s my fault.”

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Following his debut, Bearman received much praise from both Leclerc and Hamilton. The young Briton delivered an impressive performance during his first time in an F1 car on a challenging track in Jeddah with such short notice. Bearman got Carlos Sainz’s seat right before FP3 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit after the Spaniard was diagnosed with appendicitis and had to get hospitalized for immediate surgery.

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After the Saudi Arabian GP qualifying, in which the 18-year-old had nearly knocked out Hamilton in Q2, the 7x world champion said, “I was nowhere near ready for Formula 1 at 18.” Meanwhile, Leclerc, in the post-race interview, said, “Everyone has noticed how talented he is. It is only a matter of time before he is in Formula 1.” 

Furthermore, even though Sainz could not drive the car, he disguised himself as an engineer to help out Bearman during the race. The 18-year-old, after scoring P7 at the Saudi Arabian GP, revealed, “He [Sainz] told me about the exit procedure because I was using his steering wheel. [Moreover,] He gave me some advice and told me he would be on the wall helping me during the race.”

Ferrari is prepping Oliver Bearman for the Australian GP

With Carlos Sainz’s return being unclear, Ferrari recently took to social media to announce that they have put Bearman in their 2022 car [F1-75] for a test run at Fiorano, Ferrari’s private test track. The young Briton will be at the upcoming Australian GP, participating in F2 or F1, in case Sainz doesn’t completely recover.

Ferrari’s team boss, Fred Vasseur, described Sainz’s recovery as ‘amazing’ after the Spaniard returned to the track at the Saudi Arabian GP after his surgery. Vasseur also noted that the team would decide on Sainz’s return to Melbourne in one week as he remains optimistic.

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As for Bearman, he too hopes that Sainz returns to the car and recovers quickly. “In the end, it’s his car, it’s his championship, so I hope the best for him,” he said.

IMAGO / NurPhoto

Ralf Schumacher casts doubt on Lewis Hamilton’s potential as a game-changing acquisition for Ferrari. The celebrated Mercedes driver’s recent enlistment by the renowned Italian racing stable, orchestrated by the mastermind of Fred Vasseur, is met with skepticism of his arrival lacking the strategic brilliance of signing someone of Max Verstappen‘s caliber.

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While Hamilton’s recruitment undoubtedly incurred a hefty expense, Schumacher suggests its justification hinges on the prospect of securing another world title for Ferrari, a feat that has eluded the Maranello-based team for an extended period. In conversation with Formel1.de, Schumacher expressed,  “I am sure Vasseur would not pay so much money for nothing. He will offer and give Hamilton everything to make sure he can perform.”

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Indeed, no expense is spared with Ferrari‘s pursuit of reclaiming the pinnacle of motorsport, a commitment poised to bolster Hamilton’s 2025 campaign. Yet, Schumacher remains intrigued by the impending rivalry between the Prince of Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, and the incoming Hamilton, whose singular ambition revolves around clinching an unprecedented 8th championship.

The prospect of two alpha drivers sharing the cockpit prompts speculation about the dynamics within the team hierarchy. While the former Williams driver refrains from directly addressing the issue, he remains keen on observing which driver will emerge as the de facto leader, while also doubting his expertise.

“Hamilton is, of course, a seven-time world champion and a fantastic driver. But I don’t think he has the qualities that Verstappen has. I don’t think he is as consistent as Verstappen.”, Schumacher said.  Attacking Lewis Hamilton with a double-edged sword, the German’s thoughts highlight his reservations about Hamilton’s ability to extract that crucial extra fraction of performance where it matters most.

But would Verstappen be the change Ferrari was looking for? Had they waited a few more weeks, the consequences of the Red Bull turmoil would have given them the opportunity to explore the possibility.

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Ferrari CEO backs Lewis Hamilton era

While the Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher’s brother doesn’t believe in Hamilton’s call to Red, Ferrari CEO John Elkann truly believes. Elkann explained the rationale behind Lewis Hamilton’s pivotal decision to forge an alliance with the Prancing Horse.

As Hamilton embarks on his final F1 campaign under the Mercedes banner, the F1 landscape witnesses the convergence of its most illustrious driver with its preeminent outfit.

Widely lauded for orchestrating this monumental transfer, Elkann’s personal involvement in brokering the deal underscored the significance of Hamilton’s imminent arrival at Maranello.

“I have always said over the years how much Lewis is a great driver, how much he has done for F1,” Elkann remarked in an interview with Sky Sports. “He will join Ferrari and this is a sign of how much he believes he can do great things with us.”

In expressing his admiration for the Briton’s stellar career, Elkann’s sentiments reflect a profound appreciation for the symbiotic relationship poised to unfold between the legendary driver and the iconic Italian marque.

Credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto

Oliver Bearman surprised the entire F1 community with his superb debut at a difficult track like Jeddah. For the majority of us, though, Bearman’s outstanding P7 finish put him in the spotlight. However, even before his Saudi Arabian madness, the British racer had already made a deep impression on one of F1’s straightforward entities. That person is none other than the former Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner.

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While writing his exclusive column on F1’s official website, Steiner has showered praise on the F2 driver. Given that the 18-year-old was the last-minute replacement for the ailing Carlos Sainz, the pressure was only going to increase. Despite this, when Bearman only narrowly missed qualifying for Q3 and finished 7th in the race, Steiner, like everyone else, praised Bearman’s outstanding efforts. However, the American-Italian did this by recalling a previous experience.

He elaborated, “He understood he just needed to do a good job. Get the feeling of the car and bring it home and that’s it. He realized his career was not depending on those FP1s [in 2023]. He had a bigger plan.”

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Steiner intended his claim to bring the readers’ attention to Oliver Bearman’s outstanding FP1 appearances for Haas last year. At that point, the British driver succeeded in winning the 58-year-old’s trust, owing to his calmness.

However, now again when Bearman has performed well in Jeddah, this hasn’t surprised the ex-Haas boss. Steiner claims that the #38 driver’s calmness is the main reason for his success at such a young age.

To put it briefly, Steiner feels that Bearman‘s background and familial upbringing must have helped him to remain calm in pressure situations, resulting in such a big success. However, while wrapping up the American-Italian said that based on his performance in Jeddah, the 18-year-old certainly deserves an F1 seat.

Ferrari’s junior driver programme boss also praised Oliver Bearman’s F1 debut

Ferrari has been one of the teams to provide the best of the talents from its junior driver programme. While earlier it was Charles Leclerc, who made the headlines with his solid talent, Oliver Bearman has taken that baton now. The 18-year-old who replaced Carlos Sainz just before FP3, had no idea as he was gearing up for his F2 races.

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Despite this, the young driver felt no pressure and managed to get a solid P7. This performance has made the Ferrari junior driver programme’s boss Jock Clear proud of Bearman.

While talking on the F1 Nation podcast Clear said, as quoted by Crash.net, “That’s very, very intimidating for anybody. From our point of view, we’re just very proud of how well he’s integrated with the team, and how well the team has supported him.” 

In addition, Clear firmly believes that Bearman is prepared to transition to the pinnacle of motorsport. For this, Clear stated that he was already convinced and that the fact that Fred Vasseur dared to place Bearman in SF-24 at such a crucial time validates his conviction. While wrapping up, Clear stated that Bearman would continue to improve, which will ‘pay off increasingly’ when he reaches F1.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

W-Series was an all-female single-seater racing series that had high hopes for the future but failed miserably. Matt Bishop, who was a part of the W-Series paddock, feels that its replacement, F1 Academy, is taking the right steps to ensure it doesn’t make the mistakes of the past.

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F1 Academy, headed by Susie Wolff has taken off strongly, with existing F1 teams sponsoring the drivers who take part in this all-female racing venture. Its predecessor, the W-Series which was more centrally controlled and didn’t have the involvement of teams, made several blunders. There were three W-Series championships (2019, 2020, and 2021) after which they went into administration. This is when F1 Academy came forward.

Bishop, who saw the mistakes W-Series made, feels that F1 Academy is headed in the right direction. In an exclusive interview with The SportsRush’s Tanish Chachra, Bishop said, “Everything that is done in that area in order to promote females in motorsports. Whether it is to make the sport more appealing to women and girls if they are fans. Whether it is to encourage them to be mechanics or engineers working in the sport, whether it is to encourage them and facilitate better opportunities to become drivers, or journalists, or photographers or videographers.” 

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Bishop added that F1 is not a men-only place anymore. He emphasizes how women should be made more welcome. For that, he credits F1 Academy. In his words, “Whatever can be done, is being done.” 

Matt Bishop hails pioneers of women in motorsport

Even though W-Series failed, it created some superstars whom the entire racing community held in high regard. In the interview with The SportsRush, Bishop named some women who he felt were pioneers of encouraging female participation in motorsports.

He mentioned Jessica Hawkins, Jamie Chadwick, Alice Powell, Baitzke Visser, Emma Kimmelinen, and Sarah Moore. However, he decided not to take any more names. Not because they weren’t any more deserving of the title. But because there were too many.

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Matt Bishop insisted that everyone who took part in the series was a pioneer. Reaching F1 for them might be out of reach because of their age. But being a part of the motorsports community and looking after the young girls today, who dream of making it, is equally important.

Credits: Imago

Filling in for Carlos Sainz, Oliver Bearman secured an impressive P7 on the challenging Jeddah Corniche Circuit on his F1 debut. Former driver Johnny Herbert compared this debut to the performance of three-time champion Max Verstappen. Herbert feels that Bearman exhibited a level of maturity similar to Verstappen’s. However, one aspect of Bearman’s performance was reminiscent not of Verstappen, but of Lewis Hamilton.

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Speaking with Racingnews365.com, Herbert said, “Verstappen made himself very broad. And I completely understand that. It was part of an intimidating role he tried to play. Lewis does that too, but in a very different way. You don’t see it as often with him as with Max. Ollie is probably more like Lewis in that way. Ollie is not aggressive. He is just calculated, very calculated.” 

Subsequently, Herbert added that he was quite happy to see Bearman make his Ferrari debut stress-free. The 3-time race winner wanted to be clear that Bearman showed his ability to maintain composure and dispelled any additional expectations of being a Ferrari driver, in contrast to many rookie drivers who get nervous before making their debut.

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Moreover, he claimed that the 18-year-old possessed all the ingredients a young Max Verstappen did. Herbert noted that Oliver Bearman had speed, a good brain that kept him out of danger, and the ability to perform under pressure.

Oliver Bearman gathers interest from four suitors

Oliver Bearman jumped into the SF-24 with minimal preparation. Despite that, he nearly knocked out Hamilton and started the race from P11. In the race itself, he made some incredible moves to finish seventh. Unfortunately, his heroics won’t be able to get him a Ferrari seat, yet.

Both Charles Leclerc and 2025 driver, Lewis Hamilton have multi-year contracts with the Maranello-based outfit in place. However, there are four teams that are reportedly interested in signing the 18-year-old, as quoted by Planet F1.

Journalist Andrew Benson, who spoke to the BBC, said that Ferrari’s closeness with Haas means he will most likely end up there. He later named the remaining three teams. He said, “Quite a few teams are likely to be interested in him after his performance in Saudi Arabia. So Ferrari could just as easily do a deal with Williams, Sauber, or perhaps even Alpine.”

Bearman’s focus as of now has shifted to F2, the actual series he is competing in this season. Whether he will be behind the wheel of the SF-24 in Melbourne next week or not, remains unclear.