Jock Clear names one area where Oliver Bearman’s F1 debut ‘got a bit messy’

Follow us on Google Discover

It wasn’t entirely smooth sailing for Ferrari debutant Oliver Bearman at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jock Clear says.

Ferrari called up Formula 2 driver Bearman before final practice on Friday morning when Carlos Sainz had to go to hospital with appendicitis.

And Clear, the head of the Ferrari driver academy, says there was a moment when the step-up from F2 showed.

Bearman finished seventh in the race, having held off fellow Britons Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton on slower tyres in the closing stages.

He became the third-youngest driver to enter an F1 Grand Prix after Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll.

Jock Clear pinpoints one area where Oliver Bearman can improve

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Clear admits things got a ‘bit messy’ for Bearman in qualifying.

He made a mistake on his first run in Q2 and then missed out on a spot in the top 10 shoot-out as he set the 11th fastest time.

He was only a few hundredths of a second behind seven-time world champion Hamilton.

While he surpassed the team’s expectations with his performance, he did have to adapt to a ‘different level’.

“The pressure on him in Q2 – you’ve locked up on your first set, you’ve now got a second set to try and get through to Q3, that’s when it shows that this is a different level.

“That was the point where it got a bit messy. He did a great job to put it P11 anyway, that was beyond our expectations.”

Will Bearman race at the Australian Grand Prix?

Bearman will of course be hoping he has another opportunity to prove himself when the paddock reconvenes in Australia next week.

Ferrari are waiting to see whether Sainz receives the all-clear to get back behind the wheel after undergoing an operation.

The Spaniard was back in the paddock to watch Saturday’s race in Jeddah but Sky Sports F1 host Simon Lazenby says returned against doctors’ orders.

Plan A is for Bearman to drive in Formula 2 for Prema, with the feeder series once again following F1 to the event.

The 18-year-old was due to start on pole for the feature race in Saudi Arabia before the call from Ferrari arrived.