Sam Bird predicts ‘standout’ F1 rookie to join a ‘big team’ and start fighting for wins by 2027

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Sam Bird has chosen one driver from the current 2025 F1 rookie class who he thinks will be at a front-running team, fighting for wins and podiums, within the next two seasons.

The 2025 F1 campaign features the largest number of Formula 1 rookies since 2010, with Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli currently leading the debutants in the drivers’ standings.

The 19-year-old has had a rollercoaster of a season, securing his maiden podium as well as enduring his fair share of struggles in machinery that is capable of winning Grands Prix, as shown through teammate George Russell.

Isack Hadjar is the only other rookie to have claimed a podium in his maiden season. His impressive performances have led to many believing that Hadjar will partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull next season.

However, Formula E driver Sam Bird has predicted that an apprentice of the Ferrari Driver Academy will be the next youngster to make his mark on F1 and find himself in a car capable of winning Grands Prix.

READ MORE: Oliver Bearman reveals the reason he ‘hated’ Gabriel Bortoleto before they’d even properly met

Sam Bird thinks Oliver Bearman will be “fighting for wins” in F1 by 2027

After making his Formula 1 debut with Ferrari in the 2024 season, Oliver Bearman has impressed in his full-time debut with Haas alongside Esteban Ocon.

The Haas teammate battle between Bearman and Ocon has been neck-and-neck for the majority of the season, with the two drivers currently neck-and-neck in the qualifying and Grand Prix comparisons.

Speaking on a Singapore Grand Prix review episode of the Chequered Flag podcast, Bird touched upon Bearman’s outstanding record against his vastly more experienced teammate as one of the reasons why he won’t be in midfield machinery for long.

“I give it a year, maybe two years, and he’ll be in a big seat, fighting for wins, fighting for podiums,” Bird told host Harry Benjamin. “He’s too good to be, he’s, in my opinion, been much quicker than Ocon a lot of the time, especially in qualifying.

“Maybe sometimes some mistakes have crept in, but he’s proving that he’s good enough to race at the front of this formula grid.

“He came in with such high expectations after his late Grand Prix debut in Saudi Arabia, where Carlos Sainz could no longer race due to appendicitis, and I think that this year, he has been really, really good to watch.

“If you look at all the rookies, I think Hadjar’s been great. I think Bearman’s been great, and those two have been the standout rookies for me. Even I know Antonelli has improved recently, but I wouldn’t say he stood out. Bortoleto, at times, as well. Those three have starred.”

With Bearman’s ties to the Maranello-based Scuderia, he could certainly be an option for them if Lewis Hamilton opts to call it quits following the expiration of his deal at the end of next season.

READ MORE: Oliver Bearman admits he misses one aspect of working with Ferrari since joining Haas

Oliver Bearman has been tipped to join Ferrari throughout his rookie F1 season

Bearman has been tipped to become an F1 champion in the future by former Haas boss Guenther Steiner, who has also been caught by surprise by the pacy 20-year-old.

It’s a sentiment which is shared by leadership figures within the Ferrari stable, with Fred Vasseur noting that Bearman was placed at Haas to gain valuable experience in an environment that doesn’t garner the same amount of pressure as the Italian giants.

He has thrived in a team that isn’t under as much of the public eye as Ferrari, which is evident through his ability to compete with Ocon, who has 153 more Grands Prix under his belt.

In fact, the young Brit’s ability to adapt quickly to new machinery has led some to believe that Bearman would have done a better job than Hamilton during his debut season at the team.

The seven-time world champion has struggled to replicate the results of Charles Leclerc, who has managed to claim five podiums this season, to Hamilton’s zero.