Oliver Bearman: F1 Bio, Stats & Career Timeline

Oliver Bearman is a British Formula 1 driver for the Haas F1 Team and a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. Born on 8 May 2005 in Chelmsford, Essex, Bearman burst onto the Formula 1 scene in dramatic fashion in 2024, stepping in for Ferrari at a moment's notice and immediately proving he belonged on the grid — becoming the youngest British driver ever to start a Formula 1 race.

Early Life and Karting Career

Bearman began club-level karting in Britain in 2013 at age eight, working his way through national and continental categories before progressing to single-seaters in 2020. He is the older brother of fellow racing driver Thomas Bearman, who has followed a similar path through junior formulae.

Junior Formulae: A Fast Rise Through the Ranks

Bearman's single-seater career accelerated quickly. Racing for Van Amersfoort Racing in 2021, he won both the Italian F4 and ADAC F4 Championships in the same season — the first driver ever to complete that double — a result that earned him a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy. He jumped straight to FIA Formula 3 with Prema Racing in 2022, taking a win at Spa-Francorchamps and finishing third in the standings, just seven points off the title. He continued with Prema into FIA Formula 2 for 2023 and 2024, taking a Baku sprint and feature race double in 2023 and closing out 2024 with four wins, seven podiums, and four pole positions.

Formula 1 Debut and the Road to Haas (2024–2025)

Bearman's Formula 1 opportunity arrived unexpectedly at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, when he was called up by Scuderia Ferrari to replace Carlos Sainz, who was ruled out with appendicitis. He finished an impressive seventh on debut, immediately marking himself as a future star. Later that year he also deputised for an unavailable Kevin Magnussen at Haas in Azerbaijan and Brazil, further building his Formula 1 race craft. That form led directly to a full-time Haas seat for 2025, where he delivered a strong rookie season, including a run of five consecutive points finishes — a Haas team record — and a best result of fourth place at the Mexican Grand Prix, finishing 13th in the championship with 41 points.

Continuing with Haas (2026)

Bearman remains with Haas for the 2026 season, continuing to build his experience as one of the grid's most promising young talents and a key part of Ferrari's long-term driver pipeline.

Key Career Facts at a Glance

• Full name: Oliver James Bearman
• Nationality: British
• Born: 8 May 2005, Chelmsford, Essex, England
• Team: Haas-Ferrari
• Car number: 87
• F1 debut: 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
• Career starts: 32
• Career wins: 0
• Career podiums: 0
• Career pole positions: 0
• World Championships: 0