One-time System 1 team-mates Ollie Bearman and Charles Leclerc share a lot frequent floor – past their shared expertise racing Ferrari’s SF-24 round Jeddah’s high-speed metropolis monitor blast.
Whereas racing full-time within the decrease formulation, they each made a number of apply appearances for the Haas squad the place Bearman is now set to make an unscheduled early debut in place of Kevin Magnussen at next week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. That may’t fairly be ‘surprising’ given how lengthy Magnussen faced racing at F1’s penalty points limit, however Haas couldn’t know precisely when, and certainly, if, the Dane would earn any extra sanctions.
The Baku Metropolis Circuit was a contented F2 searching floor for each Leclerc and Bearman – as every took a clear sweep of weekend wins for the Prema Racing squad of their rookie seasons on the prime degree of junior single-seaters.
Right here, the similarities diverge. For Leclerc lost his on-the-road 2017 F2 sprint race win – on the weekend his father died, it shouldn’t be forgotten – for failing to gradual sufficiently for yellow flags. And the Monegasque driver’s 4 apply appearances within the VF-16 Haas the 12 months earlier than additionally didn’t precisely impress the American squad in the identical manner Bearman has managed during the last 12 months.
Leclerc felt these 2016 outings for Haas hampered his GP3 title-winning season (and in one other distinction to Bearman, he received the highest two classes on F1’s help invoice whereas the Briton’s junior titles got here earlier, in System 4) so insisted he didn’t make any additional F1 apply appearances as a Ferrari junior whereas racing within the 2017 F2 marketing campaign till it was received. He led the road for Ferrari again in Jeddah, when Bearman was nonetheless set to stay within the Ferrari Academy moderately than be quickly set to graduate from it.
At 2024’s second race, Ferrari was firmly Crimson Bull’s closest challenger. McLaren had made a low-key begin, whereas Mercedes and Aston Martin have been floundering (to a higher and lesser extent respectively). That eased Bearman’s first F1 weekend a contact, which isn’t to undervalue how onerous it was to step up from F2 and have just one apply session at a really difficult monitor, instead of the appendicitis-addled Carlos Sainz.
Baku was a contented searching floor for Bearman in F2 final 12 months, as he received each races
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photos
And whereas Ferrari has since been overcome by McLaren and, semi-regularly, by Mercedes as this season has exploded in curiosity with Crimson Bull stumbling, moving into Haas’s VF-24 is a wholly totally different proposition for Bearman.
In contrast to Ferrari in Jeddah, Haas is not going to have clear podium aspirations for its drivers subsequent weekend.
However it’s engaged in a really tight battle with RB that has fluctuated wildly throughout the marketing campaign. Bearman delivering factors on the again of his double F2 wins right here nicely over a 12 months in the past now the occasion has shifted ahead 5 months for the 2024 version will likely be a welcome outcome, if not one thing Haas will likely be heaping strain on.
For 2025 given his oncoming full-time deal, he can even profit from an early lesson in how totally different it’s to go racing within the center or again of the F1 pack
“It’s undoubtedly extra of a problem stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with restricted prep-time and so forth, however I’m within the lucky place of getting performed it earlier within the 12 months with Ferrari, so I can a minimum of name on that have,” Bearman says.
“I’ve additionally had 4 FP1 classes with Haas within the VF-24 already this season, so undoubtedly that can even show to be helpful in tackling the total race weekend in Baku.
“The staff is in good kind in the meanwhile and I’ll do my greatest to be ready with the time now we have accessible. The intention is to get on the market and have a stable weekend in Azerbaijan.”
Bearman’s personal Baku-specific kind is helpful for Haas, whereas for 2025 given his oncoming full-time deal, he can even profit from an early lesson in how totally different it’s to go racing within the center or again of the F1 pack.
Baku will enable Bearman to get a full race weekend below his belt after a truncated last-minute cameo for Ferrari in Jeddah
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Some drivers wrestle to deal with adjusting from being in common victory competition within the decrease formulation to maybe by no means standing on a podium once more in single-seaters. After which there’s the ever-shifting downforce ranges instilled in pack racing that may catch out the inexperienced.
Keep in mind right here how George Russell went off early in F1’s first Styrian GP for Williams as soon as the staff had caught again as much as the pack in 2020, having been so badly off the again of it in his rookie 12 months in 2019.
Absolutely this may be thought of a consider how usually Magnussen bought himself concerned incidents this season, however on the identical time he has lived and been suspended by his personal distinctive model of the F1 sword.
Magnussen refused to alter his method even after reaching the penalty factors threshold again in Might. And whereas Pierre Gasly might object to the Monza move that finally earned his ban even being a penalty, Magnussen’s uncompromising, aggressive driving type even when working solo on monitor meant he moderately Magnussen’d his manner into his present predicament. Dangerous, however there’s bought to be a minimum of a component of respect stemming for being true to 1’s values right here.
Haas staff boss Ayao Komatsu will likely be anticipating Bearman to indicate exactly extra of that subsequent weekend.
PLUS: Why it isn’t only speed that enthuses Haas about Bearman
That is how the now 19-year-old has constantly impressed Haas by doing precisely because the staff has requested when moving into its vehicles. He hasn’t tried to set beautiful lap occasions or present flashes of pace on the incorrect second – he’s merely bought on with the job at hand.
Subsequent weekend, that’s doing as he did for Ferrari in Jeddah and avoiding a shunt on one other difficult, quick road monitor, plus making an attempt to get the VF-24 into factors competition. Or, a minimum of assist Nico Hulkenberg accomplish that within the different one.
Bearman has an early probability to impress his staff in Baku, and modify to racing a automotive within the midfield, which might construct confidence for subsequent season
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Magnussen went over the restrict in doing this a number of occasions this 12 months, however that loyalty to Haas had already paid him again when it comes to being saved on for 2024 when some on the staff had felt change was obligatory given his 2023 outcomes in comparison with Hulkenberg. Impressing Haas early might subsequently actually come to pay again Bearman within the long-term.
“That is one other glorious alternative for each Ollie and the staff to work collectively,” says Komatsu. “This time all through a complete race weekend and he couldn’t ask for higher team-mate than Nico to offer him with a reference.”
Haas is getting a totally new break in 2025, with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon – one other of uncompromising type – joining too.
Now they’re racing collectively in F1 once more. And this time seemingly on related items of asphalt via the race within the championship’s congested midfield pack, maybe the ingredient of Bearman’s second 2024 substitute look that will likely be value watching most carefully in Baku is how he and Ocon go about racing one another in a one-off for various squads…
Will Bearman give Ocon an inch if the 2 2025 team-mates discover themselves in a tussle?
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
