After impressing many in the paddock last season with his cameo appearances, Oliver Bearman had a forgettable full-time F1 debut at the Australian GP last weekend. Two crashes in free practice sessions prevented him from setting a lap in qualifying, forcing him to start from P20. However, there was a small positive Bearman took away from Melbourne — he finished the race on Sunday.
Most of his fellow rookies struggled in the wet conditions at Albert Park. Isack Hadjar crashed out even before the lights went out, while Jack Doohan also retired early after an incident. Even seasoned campaigners like Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso lost control and collided with the barriers.
Bearman, however, navigated the treacherous track well. A piece of advice from former strategist Ruth Buscombe came in handy to keep his nose clean.
On F1 TV’s Cooldown Room, Buscombe discussed her friendly dynamic with the 19-year-old and shared an important insight about the Albert Park track before the Grand Prix, which was set to take place in wet conditions.
“I said, ‘One piece of advice for the rain: Don’t go on the white line because the paint in Melbourne is very slippery’. It’s not the standard paint they use at permanent tracks. So even if it looks like it’s dry, it’s not dry,” she said.
Buscombe, who has worked with the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, and Valtteri Bottas, knows that even the best drivers can make the mistake of touching the white-painted lines on a wet track.
Full footage of Carlos Sainz’s accident!#F1 #Formula1 #AusGPpic.twitter.com/0JFzqMcaCg
— Extreme Cars (@extremecars__) March 16, 2025
As a rookie with only three races under his belt, Bearman was more prone to making such a mistake. Buscombe admitted she would have been “disappointed” if he had spun out and crashed by touching a white line after she had specifically advised him to avoid doing so.
Much to the Haas driver’s credit, he managed to stay in the race without any major errors and crossed the chequered flag in P14. However, the #87 driver should be somewhat concerned, as Haas lacked competitive pace, leaving him effectively last in the Grand Prix.
Bearman about Haas’ pace ahead of the Chinese GP
Ahead of the second race weekend in China, Bearman acknowledged that finishing the race in Melbourne, despite the tricky conditions and his earlier crashes in practice, was a confidence boost.
“I think it’s an achievement just to finish a race like this because they’re incredibly difficult. This inter tire is very tough when it starts to rain again. And I was happy with my performance and execution,” he said.
However, the Briton also pointed out that Haas is lacking pace, which is crucial for competing in the midfield battle.
Currently, Haas appears to be the slowest car on the grid, a disappointing reality for the Kannapolis-based outfit given their competitive performances in 2024. Last season, they scored points in multiple races and fought for sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Even Bearman managed to score points when he stepped in for Kevin Magnussen in Baku.
As things stand, the British driver and his teammate, Esteban Ocon, will have to rely on the misfortunes of other teams and drivers to scrape together points for Haas. They were running dead last without any incentive in Australia.
Bearman, in particular, would’ve been tentative after his crashes. But still, he is feeling confident heading into the Chinese GP weekend. “I have a bit of a better mindset now heading into China. Ready to put everything else behind me and restart again next week,” he said.
