Oliver Bearman to replace Lewis Hamilton, rumors grow louder

Oliver Bearman, standard-bearer of the Haas F1 Team, seventh in ranking with 17 points, is hardly a new name in the paddock. Already last season he managed to beat teammate Esteban Ocon by three lengths, finishing with a total of 51 points. However, the Briton, who will turn 21 in May, could be the protagonist of a major leap from next season: according to Marca, he is the main candidate to join Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, in case Lewis Hamilton does not renew.

The British driver is certainly not new to Ferrari, as he grew up in the Scuderia di Maranello’s drivers’ academy, of which he is still a member. At the age of 18, he made his Formula 1 debut with Ferrari of all drivers in the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, replacing Carlos Sainz with a seventh-place finish, also becoming the youngest rookie with the Scuderia. Since 2024 he has also participated in races with the Haas F1 Team, gaining experience and showing his talent.

Giving his opinion on this ‘giant step’ was the team principal of the Haas F1 Team, Ayao Komatsu: “I firmly believe in controlling what you can control. Ferrari has invested in him for many years. If he does so well as to be recalled, it will mean that we have done a very good job.”

There is already talk of the possibility of Oliver Bearman moving to Scuderia Ferrari as early as next season, although the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton seems to be more motivated than last year, when he experienced a difficult season. Hamilton explained that the new Formula 1 reminds him of karting, with constant position swaps, and that he wants to focus on improving his performance to forget a complicated year in Red. The 41-year-old from Stevenage made it clear that he will carefully evaluate his future based on how the current season goes, without ruling out any possibilities.