Who is Oliver Bearman: the driver who will make his F1 debut for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian GP

On Friday, March 8th, in Saudi Arabia, the Formula 1 Grand Prix qualifying session will take place. It won't be devoid of unexpected news, notably the debut of the youthful 18-year-old Ferrari driver, Oliver Bearman.

It's noteworthy that Scuderia Ferrari's driver, Carlos Sainz, will miss the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Sainz has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will be absent for several weeks. Consequently, a new British driver, Oliver Bearman, will make his debut in Saudi Arabia.

Dailysports has prepared information for you on who this 18-year-old Formula 1 debutant in the Ferrari team is.

Bearman was born on May 8th, 2005, in Essex, England, and began karting in 2013. The Briton spent several years in karting competitions, securing several victories in various championships on his path to debuting in single-seater racing. This occurred in 2020 at the ADAC Formula 4 Championship with the US Racing team, and he also participated in three rounds of the Italian F4 Championship.

Competing at this level, Bearman finished seventh in the German regional series with one victory, and he clinched another victory in the Italian iteration of this category. However, the following year, he returned to both series and managed to win both titles. Through such successful performances, he caught the attention of the Ferrari team.

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In 2022, he made his debut in Formula 3, now with the Ferrari team. Throughout the season, Bearman contended for the title, yet Oliver couldn't participate in the final races and ultimately secured third place overall for the season. The driver himself stated that he was pleased and content with such a result.

Such performances allowed the young Briton to start in Formula 2 in 2023, where he showcased very promising results. Bearman finished the 2023 season in sixth place overall, accumulating 130 points. Throughout the season, he secured four victories, five podiums, two pole positions, and two fastest laps. He also assisted Prema in securing second place in the team standings, trailing ART Grand Prix by 31 points.

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Last season, Biermann made his Formula 1 debut when he drove private tests with the Ferari team in October. The driver also took part in free practice in the first of two sessions of the Mexico Grand Prix with the Haas team. He also had another appearance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, receiving praise from former team principal Gunther Steiner. Ferrari has appointed Biermann as a reserve driver for the 2024 campaign.

Yesterday, March 7th, Oliver Bearman won the Formula 2 qualifying session; however, he will not participate in the race itself. Due to Sainz's appendicitis diagnosis, the 18-year-old driver will debut for Ferrari.

It's worth noting that Bearman became the third-youngest driver ever to start a Grand Prix and the youngest driver in Formula 1 history to drive for Ferrari in race conditions.

Dailysports has prepared information for you on who will broadcast Formula 1 in various countries worldwide. Keep it handy and follow the new season closely.