Oliver Bearman took everyone by surprise with his stunning debut in the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The young British driver came in to play as a substitute for Carlos Sainz and he didn’t disappoint. However, his talent on the race track did not help him in his driving license examination, which he once failed, not too long ago.
Bearman came in to replace Sainz who was diagnosed with appendicitis in Jeddah. The announcement was made at the very last minute and it left the young Briton with no choice but to suit up for qualifying after just one hour of practice. Despite this, he qualified in P11 and finished the race in P7, which earned him several plaudits.
However, his driving test back in the UK didn’t go as planned. At least not how he would have liked. The Ferrari star hired David Curry as his driving instructor. Curry charges $45 an hour and Bearman booked him for a two-hour lesson on his BMW. This was the time when the 18-year-old was driving in Formula 3.
Bearman, however, failed in his test. Describing the ordeal, Curry said in a report published by Marca, “He [Bearman] had failed his test before on a traffic-light fault. I am not sure if it was for running an amber. Maybe he didn’t stop. Or it could have been how he was positioned at the lights. When he failed he was a bit like, ‘What the hell’. I mean, he has been driving since a kid.”
Thankfully, Oliver Bearman did not make the same mistake twice. He passed the test with flying colors only on his second attempt and made his instructor Curry proud. “Oliver sent me a picture of him and his pass certificate. I only have two or three students a year that pass with no faults. His dad and family deserve all the credit,” his trainer said.
What’s next for Oliver Bearman?
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has downplayed all rumors Oliver Bearman’s future at Ferrari for the time being. The Frenchman did not want to specify much about the young British driver’s future in F1 as he wants the latter to focus on his F2 journey.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will complete the 2024 season as Ferrari drivers and Lewis Hamilton will replace the latter next year. Therefore, Bearman will not be a priority for Ferrari right now.
Furthermore, Vasseur said Bearman should have his focus on the upcoming FP1 stints with Ferrari’s customer team Haas. Therefore, one can expect the Briton to start his career for the American team in the foreseeable future.
All in all, Vasseur concluded that in some races time, nobody will talk about Bearman’s Jeddah valiance. But there will be talks about Qatar, Brazil, Las Vegas, and so on. Therefore, it is better for a young Oliver Bearman to focus on F2 and take time to rake up F1 testing time for a bright future in such a cutthroat environment.
