Photo by Eric Alonso – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images
F1 is back this week, and so is Ollie Bearman
Earlier this season Ollie Bearman delivered a stunning result in his Formula 1 debut.
Now the young driver is “looking forward” to returning to F1 action.
Bearman, a member of the Ferrari driver program and a reserve for both the Scuderia and Haas, is set to drive in FP1 in this week’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix for Haas. The young driver made his F1 debut earlier this year, pressed into action for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after Carlos Sainz Jr. underwent an emergency appendectomy.
Despite having just one practice session, Bearman advanced to Q2 and started the race in P11. He finished seventh in the race itself, holding off Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages to bring home six points in his F1 debut.
That result still sees Bearman in P12 in the Drivers’ Championship standings.
“I’m really looking forward to re-joining the team and taking part in the FP1 in Imola,” said Bearman in the Haas media preview. “The team is having a strong season and I’m hoping, with the extra experience I have since our last time together, I’ll be able to help continue the run of form they’re in!”
Bearman will take the place of Kevin Magnussen in FP1. Magnussen has come under fire in recent weeks, due to his driving style in Miami. During the F1 Sprint Race at the Miami Grand Prix Magnussen was hit with three different penalties for “leaving the track to gain an advantage” in a battle with Lewis Hamilton, and those penalties — and the corresponding ten-second penalty for each — saw Magnussen officially finish the race in P18.
But that effort helped teammate Nico Hülkenberg increase his gap over Hamilton, and the German driver eventually finished seventh, bringing home two more points for Haas.
Magnussen highlighted how qualifying might be critical this week, given the difficulty drivers encounter when trying to overtake at the legendary circuit.
“It’s a great track, and one of those that I was watching as a kid and always wanted to race at, so it’s fantastic that it’s back on the calendar,” said Magnussen. “It was a good weekend the last time we were there, I scored a point in the Sprint in 2022. The track is pretty difficult to overtake on, not impossible, but difficult so it will be more about qualifying than the average track. It’s going to be the first good opportunity we have to collect proper aero data on the car that we’re running now, so that’s going to be very useful and a good experiment.”
Magnussen also paid tribute to Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna, in what will be a major theme this week.
“You can’t help but notice the history when you visit this circuit, some memories more sad than others with Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna’s accidents, but nonetheless it’s significant, and racing a Formula 1 car in Italy is always special,” added Magnussen.
Magnussen is on rather thin ice, however, regarding the penalty points on his Super License. With the three points applied to his license from the F1 Sprint Race in Miami, and two more added for the collision in the Miami Grand Prix with Logan Sargeant, Magnussen now sits on ten penalty points. Two more points and the driver will see a one-race ban, perhaps opening the door for more F1 action from Bearman.
As for Hülkenberg this week will mark a first in the driver’s lengthy career. Despite making his F1 debut back in 2010 with Williams, the German driver has never raced at Imola.
“It may only be Round 7 but it feels like we’re deep into the season now, and coming back to Europe feels good,” said Hülkenberg. “I haven’t raced around Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari and I’m excited to tick this track off the list as it’s been a lot of fun in the simulator.”
Hülkenberg will get his first taste of racing action at Imola in FP1 on Friday.
