Ferrari confirm 2024 plans for Bearman ahead of F1 weekend debut with Haas

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Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has confirmed that Oliver Bearman will race in Formula 2 again in 2024 alongside his Formula 1 testing duties for the team and Haas.

Bearman got his first experience of F1 machinery earlier this week with a few laps of Fiorano in the SF21. Ferrari gave the 18-year-old a run out at their test track ahead of him making his Formula 1 weekend debut for Haas. Bearman will get to drive the VF-23 in two FP1 sessions.

Ferrari moved to prepare Bearman for his first practice outings at the Mexico City GP and at the Abu Dhabi GP with some laps in their 2021-spec car. It was the Briton’s first time driving any Formula 1 machinery on a track. Mexico will be his first time driving on an F1 weekend.

Bearman will make his Formula 1 weekend debut with Haas

Formula 1 rules dictate that each team must field a rookie driver in at least two FP1 sessions each year. The driver(s) must have completed no more than one Grand Prix to count toward a team’s tally. Ferrari handed Robert Shwartzman an FP1 outing at the Dutch GP this August.

Bearman will now get his F1 weekend debut with Haas after showing promise in F2 this year. The 18-year-old is sixth in the standings ahead of the final round at the Abu Dhabi GP during November. He has claimed four wins in his rookie F2 season including in three Feature races.

The Essex-born talent’s first podium was even a race win as he did the double in Azerbaijan. Bearman secured further wins in Spain and Italy, Ferrari’s home round, as a Ferrari Academy driver. He joined the FDA in November 2021 after impressing at their Scouting World Finals.

Vasseur confirms Ferrari’s plans ahead of Bearman’s FP1 debut

Ferrari secured Bearman a seat at the esteemed Prema team for 2023 after finishing third in Formula 3 with the Italian outfit in 2022. It was his one and only year in F3 after sealing one win from eight podium finishes in 18 races. The Briton has six podiums in Formula 2 thus far.

Bearman will now stay in F2 for the 2024 season, with Ferrari team principal Vasseur stating the challenges young drivers face getting into F1. Formula 1’s lack of testing beyond a post-season tyre test and pre-season running presents a hurdle for those aiming to rise through.

“He will do F2 again,” Vasseur said, via quotes by RacingNews365. “The general programme is that the step is quite high with F1 because we have no testing anymore. We have more and more sprint events with just one FP1.

“We have three tests during the winter. It means that it’s quite difficult to adapt to the F1 [car] and the rookies [are] not always successful.

“We have to prepare in advance and it’s why we give him two FP1s this season with us and, probably, much more next year, and we will prepare him for the future. So far, he’s doing a very good job in the junior series but we know that it’s a long way.”