Oliver Bearman shared his initial reaction of panic when Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur informed him that he would replace Carlos Sainz Jnr at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix earlier this year.
The up-and-coming Formula 2 driver stepped up to Formula 1 when Ferrari called him up due to Sainz’s illness in Jeddah. Bearman received the news after the first day of practice, giving him only an hour to prepare for qualifying.
Although the news wasn’t entirely surprising to him, Bearman recalled, “I knew that Carlos was not feeling well, but I was focused on Formula 2 and watching free practice as usual.” He kept an eye on Sainz’s well-being out of concern, especially considering the challenging track in Jeddah.
Following Sainz’s need for surgery and inability to race, Vasseur contacted Bearman’s manager, Chris Harfield.
Recalling the moment, Bearman said, “It was qualifying day, sitting with Chris and my close team. I noticed the call from Fred Vasseur on Chris’s phone.”
“Understandably, receiving a call from Fred during a race weekend didn’t bode well. I knew it wasn’t going to be a call of ‘good luck’ for my F2 race. Seeing Chris’s expression when he answered the call was telling.”
When Vasseur delivered the news to Bearman over the phone, he was taken aback by Bearman’s excitement. Bearman admitted, “I put two and two together. I knew Carlos wasn’t feeling well and felt a rush of excitement.”
“The situation was hectic,” Bearman added. “I think he could sense my panic and excitement. I glanced over at my dad, and I think he understood from my expression too.”
Driving straight to the track filled with nerves, Bearman recalled blending in as just another F2 driver before the news broke out.
Qualifying 11th, Bearman was relieved to maintain his position at the start, given the limited practice time for race starts.
Reflecting on the nerve-wracking experience, Bearman shared, “My clutch drop range was between 20 and 60%. I was just hoping to get the car off the line. That was my most anxious moment, honestly.”
Improving during the race, Bearman finished seventh, right behind George Russell and ahead of other British drivers Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton. Despite a decent finish, Bearman felt unsatisfied knowing his teammate Charles Leclerc secured a podium spot.
Expressing his mixed emotions, Bearman revealed, “I didn’t feel much after the race. Although I finished P7, seeing my teammate on the podium made me realize we could have achieved more. But seeing my father’s emotions put everything into perspective.”
Bearman is set to participate in two more F1 practice sessions this year with Haas before joining their driver line-up next season.
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories – and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
Formula 1
Browse all Formula 1 articles
