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Frédéric Vasseur, the Workforce Principal at Scuderia Ferrari, has revealed they opted to place Oliver Bearman of their SF24 throughout the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend reasonably than Antonio Giovinazzi as a result of Italian’s busy schedule outdoors of the FIA Formulation 1 World Championship.
With Carlos Sainz Jr. unable to race attributable to sickness that in the end was recognized as appendicitis, Ferrari required a last-minute substitute to take over the driving duties forward of ultimate follow, and FIA Formulation 2 racer Bearman was chosen to make his Grand Prix debut on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Ferrari may have opted to usher in an skilled driver equivalent to Giovinazzi, who’s a part of their reserve driver roster, however with the Italian competing within the FIA World Endurance Championship, it was determined that neither he, nor Robert Shwartzman, can be thought of only a week after competing of their major collection.
“I took the choice within the winter as a result of I discovered it a bit silly final 12 months to ask Antonio to do 22 or 24 races when he was doing in parallel the LMH programme,” Vasseur is quoted as saying by PlanetF1.com.
“The LMH is sort of necessary for us – it’s an enormous problem – and I don’t need to ask Antonio or Shwartzman to journey with us and to do F1 the week after Qatar [the WEC season-opener], and a race in between.
“It’s why we determined when Ollie’s with us, he would be the reserve, and when he’s not with us, he’ll be within the sim.”
Pre-Race Good Luck Message from Vettel Bearman’s ‘Favorite’
Bearman rewarded Ferrari’s confidence in him by ending a wonderful seventh, forward of fellow Britons Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, and the eighteen-year-old revealed that he acquired luck message previous to the race from four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
“I did get a variety of congratulations and likewise good luck messages earlier than the race,” Bearman is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com. “My favorite one was from Sebastian Vettel.
“I’m an enormous fan of his because the early days. I used to be, up till he retired, at all times routing for Seb. So, to get a message from him was actually particular. To know that he was sort of watching put a little bit of stress on, however it was a pleasant stress.”
Bearman was additionally congratulated for his efforts by Formulation 1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali, whereas the hug he acquired from Hamilton as he extracted himself from the automobile made him really feel happy with what he achieved.
He additionally had constructive feedback from different drivers, together with Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen, following his efficiency in Jeddah, and he was capable of go away along with his head held excessive and inside the highest ten within the Drivers’ Championship.
“He [Domenicali] despatched me a very nice message after the race, which was actually blissful,” Bearman added. “And I received a hug from Lewis [Hamilton] as effectively after the race.
“That was good that he sort of recognised the race for me. That was a proud second for myself.”
Bearman’s Focus Must be on Formulation 2 – Vasseur
Vasseur has downplayed Bearman’s possibilities of future alternatives with Ferrari, with the Briton’s focus needing to be on Formulation 2, the place he is likely one of the favourites for the title however has zero factors after the primary two rounds.
His group, Prema Racing, had a nightmare weekend in Bahrain, and along with his transfer to Formulation 1 in Saudi Arabia, his factors for taking pole place on Thursday had been taken away from him.
Lots of chatter surrounds Bearman and his future with Ferrari, and the potential to observe within the footsteps of Hamilton of racing for the Maranello-based group sooner or later, however Vasseur says no comparisons ought to be made to the seven-time World Champion, particularly when he has but to modify to Ferrari from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formulation One Workforce.
“Don’t begin to discuss after Lewis Hamilton, Lewis continues to be not within the group!” Vasseur was quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.
“Nevertheless it’s sign for Ollie for positive, it’s an necessary milestone. In Melbourne and Imola he can be again on the F2 mission, and crucial problem for Ollie can be this one.
“He’ll begin quickly the FP1 periods with Haas, and this can be necessary additionally for us to provide him expertise and mileage within the automobile. However for positive with this one [Jeddah] he has the consequence within the pocket already.”
2025 Haas Seat Not Assured – Ayoa Komatsu
Bearman had already been linked with a drive with the MoneyGram Haas F1 Workforce for the 2025 season, with six deliberate free follow outings for the American outfit to occur later this 12 months, however Haas Workforce Principal Ayao Komatsu says it isn’t a formality he can be there.
Haas at present have the skilled duo of Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen as their drivers for the 2024 season, and with each exhibiting indicators of fine type, changing both with Bearman will not be a assure.
“He deserves an opportunity subsequent 12 months, I assume,” Komatsu is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “Penalty apart, Kev’s carried out implausible in the present day.
“Nico delivered as effectively. So how can I sit right here and say, [Bearman is] ‘our driver for subsequent 12 months’? Based mostly on in the present day’s efficiency, [it’s] Nico and Kevin.”
Komatsu says Bearman’s spectacular efficiency in Saudi Arabia was not that shocking, notably after his outings with Haas within the Mexico Metropolis and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix free follow outings with Haas in 2023, and he believes the youngest has a shiny future forward of him in Formulation 1.
“After all, we ran him in Mexico FP1 and Abu Dhabi and right away it was completely clear to me and most of us that he’s one thing particular,” Komatsu added.
“It’s not simply the pace. It’s the overall bundle and he understands the aims, he dealt with himself very effectively. Even throughout a run, he’s capable of kind of take in the knowledge from the earlier lap after which make minor changes to make the following step higher.
“He simply confirmed maturity right away as if he’s been doing it for some years.”
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