Ollie Bearman’s F1 debut in Jeddah was not just about his performance; it was also about the influential support and mentorship he received, highlighting the unity and encouragement within the racing community.
Bearman has impressed fellow drivers, but also takes pride in having been supported during his Formula 1 debut in a Ferrari at Jeddah. He especially thanks Sebastian Vettel, who encouraged him before the start.
“I received numerous messages of congratulations and good luck before the race,” said Bearman. “My favorite was from Sebastian Vettel, whom I’ve been a huge fan of since his early days. Even up to his retirement, I’ve always supported Seb, so getting a message from him was really special.”
“Knowing he was watching added a bit of pressure, but it was a positive kind of pressure. Stefano Domenicali also sent me a very nice message after the race, which was very pleasing. And Lewis gave me a hug after the race, acknowledging my performance, which was a proud moment for me.”
The British driver greatly benefited from advice from Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc: “It was amazing to work with F1 drivers. I don’t see myself as an F1 driver although I participated in a race, I’m still in F2, and it’s incredible to see the level they perform at, the level they operate at.”
“It’s something I strive for. I had guidance from Charles over the weekend, especially during qualifying but also before the race, and from Carlos during the race.”
“He guided me through what he saw in the data and relayed it to my engineer. It was fantastic, and it really helped me speed up the learning process and gain speed much quicker thanks to them. It was tremendous.”
Challenges he was well-prepared for
Bearman outlines the challenges he faced over the weekend, whether it was physical or the constant demands on an F1 driver: “What surprised me the most about an F1 weekend is the amount of administration that goes on.”
“There’s so much media activity, so many more technical aspects than what we have in F2. For a race at 20:00, I was on track by lunchtime getting prepared, so the days are very, very long, filled with hard work. It was a surprise, but a pleasant one.”
“Going through all the procedures was easier than I expected, mainly because we practice them a lot on the simulator, which is a huge testament to Ferrari’s simulator.”
“Because I was able to jump right into the car, all the setup changes they asked me to make, I was able to do quite easily. It shows that the hard work at the factory paid off.”
“The difficult part, of course, was the physical side. I expected it to be hard, because already in F2, it was a physical track, so moving up to F1, I was a bit apprehensive. I nearly managed it, but it was a big challenge.”
Bearman Thrives with Ferrari Prep
Bearman greatly benefited from Ferrari’s testing program: “The use of the simulator was very helpful. Firstly, I did a lot of preparation for Jeddah to assist the team. When I hit the track, the transition was smooth, or almost. I was up to speed very quickly.”
“Moreover, having driven the 2022 Ferrari in Barcelona and even the 2021 car at Fiorano, I was able to quickly get in tune, as the speed wasn’t a surprise. I think if it was my first time in an F1, I would have struggled a bit more. The hard work behind the scenes paid off.”
Bearman F1 Debut Support. Bearman F1 Debut Support
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