Oliver Bearman admits ‘blessing and curse’ of F1 graduation with 2025 Haas seat

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Oliver Bearman admits his imminent graduation to Formula 1 with Haas in 2025 has been a ‘blessing and a curse’ after signing a multi-year contract to move up from F2.

The Prema star will earn a full-time seat in the pinnacle of motorsport next season as Haas employ an entirely new line-up. Nico Hulkenberg signed a three-year contract with Audi this April, which will see him join Sauber in 2025. Kevin Magnussen will also leave Haas this year.

Haas have decided not to hand Magnussen a new contract and look elsewhere for the driver who will partner Bearman. It is expected that Esteban Ocon will join Haas from 2025 so they have one experienced driver, given Alpine decided they will part ways after the 2024 season.

Oliver Bearman admits the hype around his F1 seat is ‘a blessing and a curse’

Bearman also often found himself as the centre of attention before Haas confirmed his 2025 contract at Silverstone. The 19-year-old made headlines in March after deputising for Carlos Sainz in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for his debut in F1 as the youngest Ferrari driver so far.

But the media hype that followed his run to P7 in Jeddah has left Bearman feeling uneasy as he has struggled in F2 this year. Prema took their time to get on top of Formula 2’s new car and Bearman did not stand on any podiums until he won the Sprint race at the Austrian GP.

READ MORE: Who is Ferrari reserve driver Oliver Bearman? Everything you need to know

Prema have also seen the F2 team’s other driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, hit the headlines in his rookie season. The 17-year-old shot to instant notoriety before turning a wheel in F2 as Antonelli could replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 when the Briton goes to Ferrari.

Yet the hype surrounding the Prema racers has not always set well with Bearman, who feels his rise to Formula 1 is proving to be a ‘blessing and a curse’. The fact the Chelmsford native has only scored 34 points from the first 16 of the 28 F2 races this year does not help, either.

“I would say it’s a similar problem that we have,” Bearman noted, via quotes by GPblog. “I think both Kimi and I are the most – I would say probably even Kimi more so than me – but we are quite spoken about, let’s say, in the media.

“Especially because the results that we’re getting are not quite where we were expecting or expected to be. So, it doesn’t make it easy but that’s part of life. The media is always going to do that type of stuff. It’s a blessing and a curse.”

Oliver Bearman has one win in 16 Formula 2 races in 2024

Bearman would have wanted to graduate to F1 next year on the back of a great F2 season at Prema. The Briton was a pre-season title favourite after winning four races, including three Feature races, last year as a rookie. But he ranks 13th in the F2 standings after the British GP.

Prema did see Bearman claim pole position for the F2 Feature race at the Saudi Arabian GP, though. Yet the Ferrari Driver Academy talent had to give up his feeder series seat to replace Sainz in F1 in Jeddah. Bearman is 14th in F1’s standings after his P7 in the Saudi Arabian GP.

READ MORE: Who is Mercedes academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli? Everything you need to know

Antonelli, meanwhile, took his first F2 podium this year at Silverstone by winning the Sprint race. The Italian was in a class of his own whilst overcoming the tricky conditions to go from pole position to the top of the podium. He also dealt perfectly with the multiple safety cars.