Oliver Bearman credits Ferrari relocation for rapid F1 maturity
· Yahoo Sports
Oliver Bearman believes his teenage relocation to Italy to join the Ferrari Driver Academy and the operational structure the team provided were what shaped him into the person he is today.
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Bearman made headlines with his sudden Formula 1 debut for Ferrari at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, stepping in at the last moment at just 18 years old and scoring points. Now in his second season with Haas, the British driver has reflected on the influence of the Maranello outfit.
Speaking on an episode of F1 Off The Grid, Bearman detailed the reality of leaving the UK at such a young age.
"Looking back to the person that I was when I moved to Italy, 16, I think, or even a bit younger. I just wasn't ready for what the world had to throw at me," Bearman explained.
"And it was such a great experience getting thrown in at the deep end, moving to a new country, not speaking the language, so I knew I had to learn Italian pretty quickly if I wanted to get my pizza and my pasta and things like that.
"Maranello is a great city, but it's a bit rural. There's not a whole lot going on there during the weekend, and I didn't really know anyone there, and I was left to my own devices over the weekend, and then I got my car and I was driving around everywhere loving the freedom."
The Haas driver continued: "So I think everyone goes through that when they get old enough. The annoying thing was when I turned 17, I had my licence, but I couldn't drive in Europe until I was 18. So, I had to wait another year, which was annoying.
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team"But I had to mature and grow up very quickly. I was also surrounded by adults all the time: engineers, mechanics, sometimes other drivers, but mainly my trainer. All of these people were much, much older than me.
"So, I just had to mature to that level because those were the types of people I was spending my time with. Then I had my first test, my first FP1, and everything ramped up very quickly.
"It was only six months after the first test that I had my first race. Things went quickly. It was very crazy, in a good way. That move and the structure that Ferrari gave me really disciplined me into the person I am today."
Bearman finished his rookie F1 season ahead of his experienced team-mate Esteban Ocon in the drivers' championship. The 21-year-old has gone from strength to strength in 2026 so far and currently sits 11th in the drivers' standings with 18 points, whereas Ocon is 16th with three points.
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