Oliver Bearman has five points finishes to his name in 2025. Photo: RacePictures.

Bearman handed two-year deadline before 'big seat' shot and F1 wins

16:46, 14 Oct

Updated: 19:52, 14 Oct

byNorberto Mujica

Former McLaren Formula E driver Sam Brid has given F1 rookie Oliver Bearman two years before he's "in a big seat fighting for wins."

I give it a year, maybe two years, and he’ll be in a big seat, fighting for wins, fighting for podiums.

- Sam Bird about Oliver Bearman

After making his F1 debut in 2024 replacing Carlos Sainz at Ferrari, Bearman added a further two Grands Prix to his name substituting Kevin Magnussen at Haas. With the Dane being sidelined at the end of the 2024 season, the British rookie was signed as a full-time driver at Haas for the 2025 season.

Since then the British talent has added 18 points to his name in the Drivers' Standings resulting from five points finishes out of which his best results stands as a P6 at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Speaking on the BBC's Chequered Flag podcast, Bird tipped the Haas driver for an F1 "big seat" in two years' time.

Oliver Bearman has received a two year timeline before he's fighting for F1 wins. Photo: Haas Media.

He said: "I give it a year, maybe two years, and he’ll be in a big seat, fighting for wins, fighting for podiums.

"He’s too good to be… he’s in my opinion, been much quicker than [Esteban] Ocon a lot of the time, especially in qualifying," Bird elaborated

The former McLaren Formula E driver argued that while Bearman has indeed made his fair share of mistakes, he has also shown he's got what it takes to race at the sharp end of the grid.

“OK, maybe sometimes some mistakes have crept in, but he’s proving that he’s good enough to race at the front of this Formula 1 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 has been, he’s been really, really good to watch."

According to Bird, Bearman stands as one of the three best performing F1 rookies in the 2025 Formula One season.

He added: "If you look at all the rookies, I think Hadjar has been great, I think Bearman has been great, and those two have been the standout rookies for me.

"I know Antonelli has improved recently, but I wouldn’t say he stood out. Bearman and Hadjar, Bortoleto at times as well, those three have stood out," he conlcuded.

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