Bearman shows speed, but still lacks consistency
Ollie Bearman impressed in Mexico. He competed smoothly with experienced F1 drivers and performed strongly. That reinforces the idea that he could one day drive for Ferrari. But that is not yet certain.
Ferrari has high demands. The Scuderia is not looking for just any young driver. It wants someone with the potential to become a world champion. So Bearman is not compared to middle-of-the-range drivers, but to leaders like Charles Leclerc.
Where things are going well
Bearman has a lot of speed. He is often faster than teammate Esteban Ocon. He is comfortable in fast, unstable situations. He dares to brake late and steer sharply. That suits today's ground-effect cars well.
There are several strong races. In Saudi Arabia last year, he drove in place of an absent Ferrari driver to an excellent seventh place without Friday practice. That showed Ferrari has a lot of confidence in him. In China, Japan and Singapore, he also showed good performances. In Mexico, he had a particularly strong weekend.
Improving trend
Since the summer break, his form has increased. In the six races after August, he scored points in four races. With that, he forces himself up as a serious contender for the title of best rookie.
Where he has yet to learn
The biggest sticking point is consistency. Bearman often peaks, but may lack the uniformity that top teams expect. This season, he made several mistakes and sometimes got embroiled in incidents he could have potentially avoided.
- Ten races without points, despite some sprint races with points.
- Ten places grid penalty in Britain after collision at pit entry under red flag.
- Crashes in Australia during FP1 and FP3.
- Penalty in Monaco for overtaking shortly after a red flag.
- Fractures and damage caused by too-wide turns in Hungary.
- Collisions with Yuki Tsunoda in Austin and Carlos Sainz in Monza.
- Track limits penalty during sprint in the US.
- Dazzling speed but bad luck in Belgium due to engine problems.
- Fast at Imola, but hit by bad luck in qualifying and an incorrectly attached wheel during the race.
- Crash in Q2 in Azerbaijan while he was fast.
There were also races like Bahrain, Miami, Canada and Austria in which he did not always make the most of them at the right moments. In Spain, he got a penalty for taking advantage by going off track.
What Ferrari is looking for
Ferrari doesn't just want speed. They also look at technical understanding, hard work ethic and the ability to improve a weekend along the way. What is important is that a driver is fast without constantly exceeding the limit. On that front, Bearman still needs to make strides.
The timing and the path to Maranello
A free spot at Ferrari will not become available soon. The earliest opportunity is not until 2027, and that depends on major changes at other top drivers. So Bearman has time. He now drives at Haas, a team where he can show his development without the immediate pressure of Ferrari.
The next few seasons are crucial. If he limits his mistakes and maintains his positive line, he will be high on the list at Ferrari as soon as a spot becomes available. Haas offers him the ideal stage for that.
Conclusion: promising, but no certainty yet
Bearman has laid the groundwork. He is fast and shows mental toughness. Yet he has yet to prove he can perform at top level on a weekly basis. That is exactly what Ferrari demands.
He is not ready yet, but he is building a convincing record. If he improves his consistency, he could become the best candidate within one to two years when Ferrari has to make a choice.
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