Ferrari driver Oliver Bearman of Britain waits in the Ferrari garage prior to the start of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jedda, Saudi Arabia on Saturday.Max Verstappen took the win at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday but it was the 18-year-old Bearman who stole the show with seventh place for Ferrari, one day after he was given an unexpected debut.
Bearman arrived in Jeddah expecting to race in Formula 2 and had qualified on pole in the junior series — and missed the first two F1 practices — before Ferrari told him Friday morning that he’d be replacing Carlos Sainz Jr.With his father David watching on from the garage alongside Ferrari executive chairman John Elkann, Bearman’s comparative lack of experience didn’t show Saturday as he started 11th and worked his way into the points by overtaking Yuki Tsunoda, Zhou Guanyu and Nico Hulkenberg.
“He’s been incredible,” Bearman’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc said. “Seventh in your first race in Formula 1, having done only , all in a new car is just hugely impressive. I’m sure he’s extremely proud. Everybody has noticed how talented he is. I guess it’s just a matter of time before he comes here Formula 1.”
The track in Jeddah is high-speed, narrow and flanked by concrete walls each side — a tough challenge for any F1 driver, not to mention a rookie.