OLIVER BEARMAN will make his Formula One debut at this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has withdrawn from the race to undergo emergency surgery after being diagnosed with appendicitis.
Bearman, 18, has been selected as his replacement after he secured pole position in yesterday’s F2 qualifying at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
He will break Lando Norris’ record as Britain’s youngest ever F1 driver and be the first Brit to represent Ferrari since Eddie Irvine in 1999.
Bearman has been tipped as a future star after winning the F4 series in both Italy and Germany in 2021.
After climbing up to F3, the teen sensation finished third and was then promoted to F2 last year with Prema Racing.
READ MORE IN F1
He has already caught the attention of his fellow F1 racers after impressing in practice sessions during the 2023 season.
Bearman got behind the wheel of a Haas car in Mexico City last year.
His best lap time at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was just 1.6 seconds slower than three-time champion Max Verstappen, and three tenths adrift of experienced team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.
However, the Brit was quicker than veteran Fernando Alonso, who won the 2005 World Championship when he was just a matter of months old.
Most read in Motorsport
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
Meanwhile, Bearman has also turned heads away from the track and is reportedly dating TikTok star Estelle Ogilvy.
The influencer has 72,000 followers, with the loved-up couple choosing to keep their relationship off fans’ social media feeds for the time being.
Born in Chelmsford, Bearman comes from a racing obsessed family.
His father David is a former go-kart driver, who also drove under the No87, and his young brother Thomas is also a highly-rated racer for KR Sport.
Bearman dominated British Karting, having hit the circuit for the first time at the age of eight.
He was spotted by Ferrari aged 16 and was snapped up as part of their young driver programme.
Interest from the Italian giants saw Bearman quit school – to the annoyance of his mother Terri – in favour of moving within a few miles of Ferrari’s HQ in Modena.
Since relocating from Essex, his voice has slightly changed with some claiming he now has an Italian twang.
On the move, Bearman said: “A lot of people have told me my accent has changed even if I don’t notice it.
“I spend a lot of time with Italians and to communicate with people where English is not their first language is not easy, so I have changed my word order and ended up with this everywhere accent.
“Maybe I got a bit lucky not to get the Essex accent.
“When I moved to Modena it happened pretty quickly.
“It was like going to university two years early, but I have loved every moment so far.
“My mum was very pro-school and very pro-education, but we managed to convince her in the end.
“I miss my family, my two dogs – that is the negative side.
“But the food in Italy is a big chunk above the English stuff, the weather is better, too.”
Bearman’s boyhood hero is Jenson Button, who has already singled out the wonderkid for praise.
On his love for the 2009 champion, Bearman said: “I heard Jenson was praising me on Sky, and that was amazing for me to hear.
“I don’t know why, but he was always the guy I loved and really looked up to.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“It is cool that he recognised my performance in practice and I will try to speak to him.”
Bearman will take to the grid for qualifying tonight ahead of tomorrow’s race at 5pm.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
