Oliver Bearman’s F1 debut as Carlos Sainz’s replacement last weekend in Saudi Arabia took the world by storm. The Briton finished P7, two places ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who will replace Sainz permanently in 2025. Red Bull chief Helmut Marko questioned Ferrari’s move to sign Hamilton and urged the Italian outfit to find a solution for Bearman before it’s too late.
Bearman was so impressive that he almost also knocked Hamilton out during qualifying, losing by only three-thousandths of a second. The young Briton started P11 and made some incredible moves to finish the race in seventh, getting six points on debut. Marko feels that Ferrari going for a more expensive option in Hamilton, who will reportedly earn $100 million a year, seems like an illogical move.
In a column posted on Speed Week, Marko said, “What is Ferrari doing now? They buy the expensive Hamilton, Leclerc has a longer-term contract, and now Bearman is a super talent. If I were Fred Vasseur, I would immediately find Bearman an F1 cockpit in another team.”
A baptism of fire for Ollie Bearman but he rose to the occasion #F1 #SaudiArabianGP @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/FtBZr7obVF
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 10, 2024
Bearman was a name reportedly on Haas’ shortlist for 2025. Since Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen’s contracts end at the end of next season, the team could turn to brighter talents that could help them grow for the future. Moreover, Haas’ association with Ferrari could also help Bearman out.
Marko then went on to say that Ferrari would “pay dearly” for having Hamilton in the team instead of a younger talent for the future. However, Red Bull themselves have settled for older and more experienced figures over the last few years despite having very talented young drivers in their wings.
Helmut Marko acknowledges Liam Lawson’s talent
When Daniel Ricciardo got injured last year, Liam Lawson was chosen as his replacement at AlphaTauri for five races. In those five outings, the New Zealander impressed the entire paddock, outperforming and often outscoring Yuki Tsunoda, who had been at AlphaTauri for three years.
Unfortunately, Lawson did not make the final cut when Red Bull’s sister team announced their line-up for 2024. The team favored Ricciardo and Tsunoda even though the former has been far from his best over the last few years.
LIAM LAWSON KNOCKS MAX VERSTAPPEN OUT OF Q2! #SingaporeGP #F1
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 16, 2023
Regardless, in his column, Helmut Marko acknowledges that Lawson’s debut was “exceptional”. Although the 22-year-old is on the sidelines right now, there is a high chance he will get the seat at V-CARB (formerly AlphaTauri) if Ricciardo or Tsunoda end up getting the axe.
Since even exceptional talents like Bearman and Lawson are finding it difficult to get into F1, it shows that the sport has very limited opportunities. It also means that existing drivers have no time to rest, and must always be on their toes, as they are in danger of losing their place.
