After his gorgeous shock debut instead of the appendicitis-addled Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Jeddah, Bearman is now lastly beginning the primary problem of his season within the high classes of single-seaters.
Imola marks the primary of six FP1 appearances with Haas that had been earmarked into his deal because the group’s reserve driver for 2024, alongside along with his comparable duties as a Ferrari junior.
On this weekend’s first 60-minute session, which follows Bearman’s 2023 observe working for the group in Mexico and at Abu Dhabi, the 19-year-old completed fifteenth, 5 locations forward of Nico Hulkenberg.
Talking at Imola on Thursday, Haas group boss Ayao Komatsu known as Bearman’s 2024 FP1 periods “a golden alternative for us to work with him”.
“After which assess how he’s, the place he’s, what his strengths and weaknesses are,” Komatsu, who was glowingly effusive a couple of driver he bonded with instantly in Mexico final 12 months, defined.
“See how we are able to develop him and likewise work collectively if we would like it. So, yeah, it is a fairly good job interview state of affairs.”
However after his 2023 observe outings and his late call-up for Ferrari went so easily, the subtext of what Komatsu stated subsequent is intriguing.
“I am not hoping for some misfortune on the automotive or something, however in some unspecified time in the future, he’ll face some obstacles,” he continued.
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Staff, adjusts his helmet within the storage
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“You recognize, some issues that did not go his approach or I do not know whether or not a automotive problem or yellow flag or crimson flag state of affairs or no matter. Then, how he handles that, with a compromised state of affairs, how he’s nonetheless going to have the ability to concentrate on and behave within the method that he can get one of the best out of that.”
Primarily, Haas desires to see how Bearman stacks up by all of the challenges F1 drivers can face – glamorous, good, dangerous and ugly, on monitor and off monitor.
This is the reason Haas organized a full media look for Bearman earlier than the common race drive slot on Thursday. On this case, it was Sauber-bound Hulkenberg, who arrived briefly stunned on the variety of journalists gathered within the Haas motorhome.
When Bearman had spoken, he’d grabbed consideration with this: “I see it, in fact, as my likelihood. However simply because there’s a seat free doesn’t suggest I am entitled to it.
“I nonetheless should go on the market and earn it by good performances in F2, however much more so the six FPs that I am doing, I’ve to carry out properly and make sure that I am prepared to leap into F1 subsequent 12 months.”
Bearman was spectacular in different solutions. On the subject of his F2 marketing campaign, which took successful along with his absence from the Jeddah races simply after he’d topped qualifying there, he hit again at ideas he is been struggling.
“To begin with,” he stated. “I do not assume we struggled for tempo to date this season. Bahrain is a little bit of an outlier. Even final 12 months, we actually struggled. Jeddah, I used to be on pole and in Australia I used to be occurring the entrance row after which my engine blew up. So, a couple of mitigating elements put us out of rivalry.”
Then he batted away a slipshod query about evaluating the 2024 Ferrari and Haas automobiles, which bafflingly one way or the other appeared to neglect their shared components and the general closeness of the 2024 subject.
Oliver Bearman, Ferrari SF-24
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
“You say it is a totally different automotive, however on the finish in quali these automobiles are separated by three tenths,” he replied coolly. “A unique automotive ultimately, , there’s not a lot in it.
“I am unsure in regards to the traits, however from driving the final 12 months Haas, characteristically, it is fairly comparable. And even on the simulator, I could not discover many enormous variations. After all, it is going to be my first time on this monitor with the F1, and I feel that might be the most important distinction, not the automotive.”
General, Bearman’s enthusiasm shone by. He made certain to take pleasure in his shock debut by re-watching the printed of the Jeddah race within the small hours after that occasion and nonetheless replays it “once I’m bored”.
As with every job, the shine will come off if Bearman goes by F1’s repetitive motions on a full-time foundation. However securing that’s his purpose and dream proper now. From Haas’s perspective with Hulkenberg leaving, its choice can be to raise Bearman given his place as a Ferrari driver.
Komatsu has additionally stated he places “extra weight on what we do with him” than what he goes on to realize in F2. Subsequently, it might be sensible for Bearman to make his Haas outings a precedence. However that also will not be straightforward.
Again in 2017, Charles Leclerc, then one other Ferrari Academy Driver, advised this author how his struggles switching between Haas F1 equipment and his then GP3 automotive compromised his finally profitable try and win the third tier class on the first try.
A 12 months late in F2, he intentionally requested his F1 programme happen at race occasions away from the F2 rounds or in devoted exams.
However whereas Bearman’s problem of impressing Haas and likewise climbing again up the F2 standings performs out, it isn’t simply the opportunity of him changing Hulkenberg that is in consideration.
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Staff, Damon Hill, Sky F1
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Hulkenberg, who says Bearman has “positively a very good potential” additionally identified “it does not should be mine essentially, does it?” when requested if Bearman was set to exchange him.
“There’s two,” he added.
Kevin Magnussen‘s contract can also be up on the finish of 2024, plus he’ll be on the verge of a race ban till the top of the season. Whereas Magnussen has vowed to drive otherwise to “watch out to not get a race ban”, Bearman says he is “prepared” in case of one other shock call-up.
“I confirmed in Saudi that I am prepared,” Bearman stated. “If I get the decision, I will fortunately leap in. After all, it isn’t my… it is by no means the best way you wish to do a race if one thing like that occurs.
“But when it’s the case, if it does occur, then I will fortunately oblige.”