Ferrari group boss Fred Vasseur says Scuderia protégé Oliver Bearman ought to neglect in regards to the Italian outfit for now and focus as an alternative on his F2 programme and upcoming FP1 commitments with Haas.
Bearman delivered a sensational efficiency final weekend in Saudi Arabia the place he was known as up on the final hour to substitute for the appendicitis-stricken Carlos Sainz.
The 18-year-old’s baptism of fireside in F1 yielded a extremely spectacular seventh-place end on advantage within the race at Jeddah.
Bearman’s efficiency proved that the younger gun is undeniably worthy of a full-time seat in Formulation 1.
Requested if the younger rookie, as a Brit, may comply with within the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton sooner or later, Vasseur pushed again on that prospect, insisting it is means too early, provided that the Scuderia is totally booked for the upcoming seasons, with Charles Leclerc lately extending his contract with Ferrari and Hamilton transferring to Maranello in 2025 on a multi-year deal.
“Do not begin to discuss after Lewis Hamilton, Lewis continues to be not within the group!” Vasseur reacted. “However it’s a great sign for Ollie for positive, it is an essential milestone.
“In Melbourne and Imola he can be again on the F2 challenge, and crucial problem for Ollie can be this one.
“He’ll begin quickly the FP1 classes with Haas, and this can be essential additionally for us to provide him expertise and mileage within the automobile. However for positive with this one [Jeddah] he has the end result within the pocket already.”
©Ferrari
Bearman’s in depth FP1 programme with Haas will embody outings later this 12 months at Imola, Barcelona, Silverstone, Hungary, Mexico Metropolis and Abu Dhabi.
The wholesome schedule will solely assist the Ferrari junior bolster his F1 expertise.
“You must take into account Jeddah is a step, not the ultimate goal,” Vasseur mentioned. “He did nicely this weekend, however he may have different challenges in entrance of him sooner or later with F2.
“He’ll do a few FP1s with us and Haas in the course of the season and all of you, together with me, in six months’ time we can’t converse any extra about Jeddah, we’ll talk about Mexico, Brazil [sic], and if he is doing nicely or not.
“And each single day can be a brand new problem. However for positive, if he is retaining the identical strategy as at this time, it’ll go nicely.”
Bearman was Ferrari’s designated reserve driver in Saudi Arabia, a selection ruled by logistical components because the Briton was scheduled to be on website on account of his F2 commitments.
For comparable causes, fellow reserves Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman – who’re each dedicated to Ferrari’s Hypercar programme within the Phrase Endurance Championship – had been rotated out of the group’s reserve driver schedule for Jeddah, as Vasseur defined.
“I took the choice within the winter as a result of I discovered it a bit silly final 12 months to ask Antonio to do 22 or 24 races when he was doing in parallel the LMH programme,” mentioned the Frenchman.
“The LMH is sort of essential for us – it is an enormous problem – and I do not need to ask Antonio or Shwartzman to journey with us and to do F1 the week after Qatar, and a race in between.
“It is why we determined when Ollie’s with us, he would be the reserve, and when he isn’t with us, he’ll be within the sim.”
Preserve updated with all of the F1 information through Fb and Twitter
