Oliver Bearman shares what he’s ‘learnt’ from watching Lewis Hamilton during his rookie Formula 1 season

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Oliver Bearman’s rookie Formula 1 season has been solid so far and he sits just four points behind a Red Bull driver in the standings.

However, the Briton has struggled in qualifying trim, and trails Haas teammate Esteban Ocon 7-4 in the head-to-head, which has been setting him back in Grands Prix.

It’s part of the reason why Bearman lies 18th in the drivers’ championship and Ocon is ninth, but he is also learning a lot as he goes.

For example, the Pirelli tyres are notoriously difficult for rookies to master, and that may be holding him back too. The upcoming British Grand Prix represents his first home race.

Bearman has ‘brutally’ proven one big problem and it has led Haas to rush to fix concerns they have about their car in long radius corners. In Barcelona, particularly, they struggled.

Earlier in the season, Jenson Button was left stunned by Bearman, who made a bold double overtake at the start of the Miami Grand Prix sprint. He has been impressive at times.

READ MORE: Ralf Schumacher hints Lewis Hamilton should take inspiration from one thing Oliver Bearman has done at Haas

Oliver Bearman has ‘learnt’ from Lewis Hamilton’s speed and mental strength in 2025

Bearman shares one ‘amazing’ attribute with Fernando Alonso, according to team boss Ayao Komatsu, who has been around the sport for the majority of the Spaniard’s career.

Despite being a junior driver, Bearman has ‘a lot to prove’ to join Ferrari in the future, particularly if he wants to be Lewis Hamilton’s replacement.

Ahead of the British Grand Prix, he has been speaking to BBC Sport about what he has learned from racing the seven-time champion in 2025.

“Lewis [Hamilton] is someone I have watched my entire life. I learnt about his mental strength and raw speed,” said Bearman. “This season has been a big journey and I have learnt a lot about myself and the team.

“It’s a big physical challenge. The neck is the biggest thing to keep an eye on. Suzuka was a highlight so far, a high-speed track and gave me a lot of confidence. The British drivers have been doing really well, I am the worst, but the rest have been doing well.”

READ MORE: Damon Hill has privately issued a two-word verdict on Haas rookie Oliver Bearman after his first F1 races of 2025

How long is Oliver Bearman under contract in Formula 1 for?

Bearman signed to race with Haas last season despite quite an underwhelming Formula 2 campaign for PREMA, where he finished 12th in the championship.

However, his performance as a stand-in at Ferrari for Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix went a long way, and Haas knew that they wanted his services.

He’s on a minimum of a two-year deal, which guarantees him a seat in the sport heading into the 2026 F1 regulations.

After that, he might be looking to take the next step, depending on how well Haas enter the new ruleset. They might end up being a front-running team, which would mean he’s happy to remain where he is.