Oliver Bearman Makes F1 History, Reflects on Intense Battle with Lewis Hamilton

Oliver Bearman shares his thoughts on his historic F1 encounter with Lewis Hamilton. Bearman made history in Formula 1 after a late-race duel with Hamilton.

Oliver Bearman of Haas made a mark in Formula 1 history by being the inaugural driver to earn points for two separate teams within his initial two grand prix races.

Filling in for Haas's usual driver, Kevin Magnussen, who was suspended for one race due to collecting 12 penalty points over the past year, Bearman secured the last available point in Baku by coming in 10th place.

The 19-year-old British driver, set to compete full-time in Formula 1 next year with the American team, moved into the points after a dramatic late-race crash involving Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz.

Following a late-race overtake by Mercedes icon Lewis Hamilton, Bearman commended the seven-time world champion for the “clean yet tough” duel.

"When you take the outside route, you can be sure he’ll give you room, which is reassuring," Bearman said.

"In the first turn, I was confident he wouldn't push me into the wall, something I couldn't be as certain about with other drivers. That gave me a sense of assurance, and although our races were tough, they were always fair."

Bearman explained that he was putting in significant effort to pass Franco, which caused his tires to overheat. At that moment, Franco seized the opportunity and overtook him with ease.

"Subsequently, I needed to complete a few more laps to catch up to him once more and was close to regaining the DRS. It’s frustrating that I allowed him to pass, but you can't afford to make even minor errors with someone of his caliber right behind you."

Bearman managed to get in front of his Haas teammate Nico Hulkenberg, who had reduced his speed due to concerns that he might have sustained damage from the collision between Perez and Sainz.

"It turned green once more, and I succeeded in catching him along with Lewis," Bearman mentioned.

"It was an overtaking maneuver. I feel bad for him. He faced an issue that caused him to lose the spot to Franco as well, but I'm pleased to have earned the point."

Bearman, filling in for Ferrari, earned points in his first Formula 1 race in Saudi Arabia by securing a seventh-place finish.

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