Bearman criticizes FIA rules barring him from rookie tests, contrasting his case with Alonso’s exception granted in 2020.
Oliver Bearman has criticized the rules barring him from participating in Free Practice 1 and next week’s tests in Abu Dhabi.
Initially, Ferrari had planned to run the 19-year-old Briton in FP1 at Abu Dhabi, but the Maranello team ultimately opted for Charles Leclerc’s brother, Arthur.
This decision came after Bearman replaced race drivers three times in 2024—for Carlos Sainz’s appendicitis surgery in Saudi Arabia, Kevin Magnussen’s race ban in Baku, and again for a sick Haas driver in Brazil—prompting the FIA to no longer classify him as a “rookie.”
Under current F1 rules, a “rookie” cannot have participated in more than two Grands Prix.
While Esteban Ocon is set to conduct Pirelli tire testing for Haas in Abu Dhabi, Bearman—who will partner Ocon full-time at the team next season—is also ineligible to take part in the rookie test in the other car.
“Looking back a few years, Fernando Alonso participated in the rookie test after winning two world championships,” Bearman pointed out in Abu Dhabi.
Indeed, the FIA granted Alonso an exception in 2020 when he returned with Alpine F1 following a two-year sabbatical.
“I’ve only done three races, scored points twice, and he has two world championships—but he was allowed to do the rookie test.”
The silver lining for Bearman is that, alongside Kimi Antonelli, he will participate in the Super Formula test at Suzuka later next week.
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Bearman Slams FIA Rookie Rules After Abu Dhabi Snub Bearman Slams FIA Rookie Rules After Abu Dhabi Snub
