Oliver Bearman has been earmarked for a Ferrari seat in Formula 1, but Martin Brundle believes the Briton should start focusing on a “Plan B”.
Bearman, in only his second full-time season in the sport, has consolidated himself as a star of the future.
His maiden outing in F1 was at the Saudi Arabian GP in 2024, filling in for Carlos Sainz on short notice after the Spaniard’s appendicitis diagnosis during the race weekend.
Finishing an impressive seventh on the road that evening, Bearman had done enough to secure a race seat with Ferrari customer outfit Haas last year.
This season, Bearman has built on his strong performances, consistently outpacing his more experienced team-mate Esteban Ocon in the VF-26.
Naturally, the 21-year-old has been up for a promotion to the iconic Italian marque, but the situation at Ferrari this season might have pushed his future at the team further away.
Lewis Hamilton has found himself chasing titles once again – sitting second in the drivers’ standings heading into the summer break with five podiums and a race win already to his name.
As things stand, both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc seem to have hitched their wagons to the Maranello-based squad for the mid-term.
Brundle believes that Bearman, therefore, should start looking for a front-running race seat elsewhere despite his Ferrari junior status.
“Haas is a brilliantly credible team on the F1 grid, I wouldn’t want to underplay what they’re doing, and we’d miss them massively,” Brundle said.
“Ollie Bearrman might need a Plan B because obviously Lewis and Charles are nailed on at Ferrari for a little while.”
Martin Brundle makes 2027 Haas F1 driver line-up prediction
Bearman would no doubt be a driver that no team would want to let go. Yet, the Briton will be hoping to get his chance with one of the top teams.
Brundle believes that Bearman’s ascendance over Ocon has already put the Frenchman’s future at risk in the sport.
“No, I don’t, to answer your question,” he replied when asked if Haas would be heading into 2027 with the pairing of Bearman and Ocon.
“I do believe they’re also looking at some other young drivers.”
However, Brundle also believes that Bearman’s ‘delayed’ future at Ferrari has prompted the Briton to decide his own future in the paddock quickly.
“They’ve got some other fast kids coming along,” Brundle concluded.
“Ollie Bearman was the future star, the heir apparent within the Ferrari staircase, if you like.
“So I don’t know where he goes from here.”
With Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull also in jeopardy, the Haas driver has been linked with a potential move to Milton-Keynes.
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