Oliver Bearman is maintaining his goal to become a Formula 1 driver with Ferrari, but newfound obstacles to a seat have led to the Brit making a signficant admission about his career.
The Haas driver has continuously seen his stock soar since becoming a full-time F1 driver with the American squad last year, with a number of mature and intelligent performances firmly putting his name at the top of many people’s lists of ‘ones to watch’ for the future.
Bearman has been part of the Scuderia‘s academy since 2022, and first put himself in the F1 conversation with a stellar, points-scoring performance in an unlikely cameo appearance in Jeddah in 2024, standing in for the unwell Carlos Sainz.
It led to two further outings that year with Haas, and was duly signed by the Ferrari customer team for 2025, during which time he has been partnered with the experienced Grand Prix-winner, Esteban Ocon.
The start of the season saw Bearman being strongly linked with a full-time drive with Ferrari in the near future, but with Charles Leclerc committing his long-term future to the team in June, along with Lewis Hamilton’s renewed form, that possibility looks unlikely in the short-term.
Talking on the F1 Beyond The Grid podcast, Bearman admitted that, whilst it is “pretty cool” to see his idol Hamilton back to a high level of performing, it is “not ideal” in terms of his future.
But the 21-year-old was glass-half-full about the predicament, saying: “But I’m still young. I’m only 21. I’m not in a huge rush, and for me, staying at Haas for the foreseeable is not a bad thing.
“I feel like there’s a lot to learn at this team. There’s a lot to still achieve.”
Ferrari seat ‘a goal’ but Oliver Bearman is open to external opportunities
Bearman is reputed to be highly thought-of by the Maranello-based squad, and his performances for Haas have no doubt proven to be a significant audition for future consideration to be in one of the famous scarlet red cars at some point.
And whilst that remains Bearman’s priority, he admitted that he is open to an external opportunity if he feels it can take him to F1 title success.
“My goal remains to be a Ferrari driver one day. Of course, I don’t want to be sitting around for three, four, five years waiting for a seat to become available, because there are no guarantees. You can be wasting your best years,” he summarised.
“My ultimate goal is maybe a bit selfish, and that’s OK, because that’s the reason I’m here: I want to be fighting for World Championships. So, if I can have that opportunity wherever, I will take it.”
Bearman has been recently linked with a move to Red Bull amid the ongoing speculation surrounding the future of Max Verstappen, with fresh rumours of being a target for Aston Martin.
But with youth on his side and talent to match, Bearman appears to be comfortable with his current place on the grid.
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