Lewis Hamilton shares honest feelings about Oliver Bearman after being upstaged

14 March 2024 , 09:51

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Lewis Hamilton was full of praise for future Ferrari ally Oliver Bearman after the Jeddah race (Image: Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton heaped praise upon "future star" Oliver Bearman after his "phenomenal" Formula 1 debut in Jeddah.

Bearman stepped in at short notice to race for Ferrari after Carlos Sainz was struck down with appendicitis. And the 18-year-old showed nerves of steel to put in a strong performance and finish seventh.

He became the youngest Briton to start an F1 Grand Prix in the process. Hamilton, who will be allies with Bearman from next season when he completes his move to Ferrari, was impressed with what he saw from the teenager.

The seven-time world champion said: "To be pulled out of your class and put straight into a Ferrari, a top team, and have to go straight into practice without long runs and all those sort of things, I think he did such a phenomenal job this weekend and it just shows that he's really a bright future star."

Charles Leclerc, who was Bearman's team-mate for the day in Jeddah, felt what the teenager achieved was "incredible". He told reporters: "Everybody has noticed how talented he is and I guess it's just a matter of time before he comes here in Formula 1."

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Bearman was back behind the wheel of an F1 car on Wednesday as he took Ferrari's 2022 car for a spin on the team's Fiorano test track. Team principal Frederic Vasseur has already promised the Essex racer more race weekend experience later this year.

He said: "It's a good signal for Ollie for sure, it's an important milestone. In Melbourne and Imola he will be back on the F2 project, and the most important challenge for Ollie will be this one. He will start soon the FP1 sessions withHaas, and this will be important also for us to give him experience and mileage in the car.

"For sure with this one [Jeddah] he has the result in the pocket already. But you have to consider Jeddah is a step, not the final target. He did well this weekend, but he will have other challenges in front of him in the future with F2.

"He will do a couple of FP1s with us and Haas during the season and all of you, including me, in six months' time we won't speak any more about Jeddah, we'll speak about Mexico, Brazil, and if he's doing well or not. And every single day will be a new challenge. But for sure, if he's keeping the same approach as today, it will go well."

Bearman will be on standby again for next weekend's Australian Grand Prix but is not expected to race in F1. Sainz's recovery has gone well so far and the Spaniard is likely to reclaim his seat for the Melbourne race.

Daniel Moxon