Ferrari’s academy prospect Ollie Bearman will make a shock Formula 1 debut for the team in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after Carlos Sainz was ruled out with appendicitis.
Sainz took part in Thursday’s two free practice sessions despite struggling with illness, but was then ruled out for the remainder of the weekend after his diagnosis and underwent surgery on Friday.
Ferrari has promoted its designated reserve driver Bearman, who was set to start from pole in Formula 2’s feature race in Jeddah, to replace Sainz from Friday’s third practice session onwards.
Bearman made his single-seater debut in 2020, scoring a victory in both Italian F4 and the German-based ADAC F4 with US Racing. He then won both championships in 2021 with Prema, accumulating 17 more wins, and he took a further triumph for Fortec Motorsports during a part-time campaign in GB3.
The 18-year-old joined Ferrari’s Young Driver Academy at the end of that year, and he continued with Prema in 2022 for the step up to FIA Formula 3 where he finished third in the standings with one victory.
Remaining with the Italian squad in F2, Bearman finished 2023 as the second-highest rookie in sixth, taking four wins and three poles. He also made two F1 free practice appearances for Haas at the Mexican and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and drove for Ferrari in the post-season young driver test at Yas Marina.
After a difficult start to his second campaign in F2 last weekend in Bahrain, Bearman bounced back by setting the fastest time at Jeddah in qualifying. His withdrawal from both F2 races this weekend leaves him still without a point on the board.
He will be the youngest British driver to ever start an F1 Grand Prix and the first to race for Ferrari since Eddie Irvine in 1999.
Featured image credit: Formula Motorsport Ltd
