Who is Oliver Bearman, the Ferrari driver who replaces Sainz in Jeddah

Who is Oliver Bearman, the Ferrari driver who replaces Sainz in the F1 GP in Jeddah

Oliver Bearman takes to the track in the Jeddah GP in place of Carlos Sainz and alongside Charles Leclerc. The 18-year-old English driver had already participated in free practice sessions in 2023, driving the Ferrari-powered Haas VF-23 in the Mexico City and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. A promising talent from the Ferrari Driver Academy, Bearman also races in Formula 2 with the Prema team in the same team as the Italian talent Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes share).

Born in Chelmsford, United Kingdom on 8 May 2005, Bearman entered the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2022. At the age of 8 his career began in karting. First title won in 2017 at the Kartmasters British Grand Prix. In the world of karting she becomes a star, her growth continues until 2019 when in Valencia she wins the World Cup in the Junior X30 class, also won in her European series and the world championship in Le Mans.

In 2020 Oliver Bearman gets into single-seaters with a full season in German F4 and part time in Italian F4. THEThe English driver achieved two podiums and a victory in Germany, a victory and a podium in Italy, in both categories with the US2 Racing team. In 2021 with the Van Amersfoort team he is the first driver ever to win both championships in the same season.

After winning the FDA Scouting World Finals Bearman enters the Ferrari Academy and signs with Prema in Formula 3. Third in the final standings with 132 points in his first season. In the following one the transition to F2, where Olivier becomes the only driver to have won all the races of the weekend and to have also obtained Pole in that same weekend. And now his debut in Formula 1 with Ferrari to replace Carlos Sainz in the Jeddah GP.

Last season he got his first taste of Formula 1 with Haas, with which he participated in two free practice sessions. In 2024 Bearman, in addition to participating in the Formula 2 World Championship, was appointed Reserve driver of the Scuderia Ferrari and also of the Haas F1 Team.

Ferrari, Carlos Sainz appendicitis: operation and misses the F1 GP in Jeddah

“Carlos Sainz has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will need surgery”, announces Ferrari on the eve of the Saudi Arabian GP. “Starting from FP3 and for the rest of the weekend, he will be replaced by reserve driver Oliver Bearman. Oliver will therefore no longer take part in this round of the F2 Championship. The Ferrari family wishes Carlos a speedy recovery”, continues the Ferrari team. Maranello.

Sainz will therefore not take part in the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend after being diagnosed with appendicitis which requires surgery. The Ferrari driver had missed his pre-weekend media commitments at the Jeddah circuit due to illness, before taking part in Thursday's FP1 and FP2 sessions. The Spanish driver, after describing the tests as the “hardest” in an F1 car to date, received the answer this morning: appendicitis. He will have to undergo surgery and his place in the second GP of the season will be taken by the F2 driver Bearman who will be alongside Charles Leclerc from FP3 onwards.