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Rising Star Bearman Wins High Praise from F1 Elite

Bearman Lauded by F1 Veterans as Future Great

13/07/2024

Ollie Bearman, hailed as a future F1 great, earns the confidence and praise of leading drivers in the sport.

Ollie Bearman will join the Formula 1 grid next year as the fourth British driver, alongside Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Lando Norris. He will be the fifth if Alex Albon, who holds dual nationality, is counted, although the Williams F1 driver races under a Thai license.

“Bearman is a brilliant young talent, and it’s a positive sign that the UK continues to produce a plethora of talented young drivers. I’d say Silverstone and the BRDC have played a part in this,” Hamilton remarked when asked about the rise of Bearman and other English talents.

“They invest in youth and prospects, a lot of young hopefuls in the sport. I think, yes, it’s fantastic for the sport. It alleviates some of the pressure on all of us. At least, I hope one of the Brits will make it.”

Russell is also convinced that Bearman will be a future star on the Formula 1 grid: “It’s clear that Ollie is an excellent driver and it’s great to see four Britons on the grid, which demonstrates the strength of British motorsport.”

“I think when we were karting, the competition was incredibly high, and I believe this will translate next year into having 20% of the grid being British. Obviously, Alex is half British too, so it’s great to see him there and I’m sure he’ll do a good job.”

Norris also feels that Bearman is destined for a significant future in Formula 1. The McLaren driver relies on the strong impression Bearman made when he substituted for Carlos Sainz in Jeddah: “Same thing. Yes, I think he deserves it.”

“He demonstrated in Saudi Arabia how well he can perform under pressure and extract the maximum from the car on his debut weekend. So, I’m looking forward to seeing him on the grid next year and eager to race against him.”

Leclerc Advises Bearman Not to Put Pressure on Himself

Charles Leclerc, who was Bearman’s teammate for a weekend and often interacts with him as Ferrari’s reserve driver, said: “I know Oliver very well, honestly, I think he’s an incredibly talented driver.”

“What you need in your first year is always very specific to each driver because it also depends on the preparation you had before getting there. I think Oliver is very well prepared. He proved it in Jeddah when he got into the car and was immediately very, very strong.”

The Monegasque cautions Bearman not to overdo it: “A typical piece of advice I would give him is not to put too much pressure on himself. He’s still very, very young, and he has the speed.”

“He has shown it multiple times. He’s not had an easy season, as the team has been struggling in F2, quite a lot even, but he is incredibly fast and I have no doubt he will be in Formula 1.”

“He just needs to take his time, make the mistakes he needs to learn and become a better driver, and not put too much pressure on himself because that’s when you can sometimes perform a bit less well, not reach your optimal potential.”

Rising Star Bearman Wins High Praise from F1 Elite

Rising Star Bearman Wins High Praise from F1 Elite Rising Star Bearman Wins High Praise from F1 Elite

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