Bearman, in the Top 3 for precocity and a first at Ferrari in over 50 years

The announcement came a few hours before Free Practice 3 this Friday: Carlos Sainz is withdrawn from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Suffering since the start of the weekend, the pilot Ferrari was diagnosed of appendicitis putting him on leave for the future. To compensate for the absence of the Madrilenian, the Scuderia then turned to Oliver “Ollie” Bearman, present in Jeddah for the F2 with Prema (he took pole position on Thursday).

A unique opportunity for the Englishman, confirmed among the reserves of the Italian team last January alongside Robert Shwartzman and Antonio Giovinazzi.

Bearman soon to be among the youngest in history?

Called up at short notice, the resident of the Maranello academy will only have one free practice session, and therefore one hour of driving, to get into the swing of things before starting qualifying. If he manages to qualify for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and therefore start, Ollie Bearman would place himself among the three youngest drivers to date to have competed in a race. F1.

At the moment, Max Verstappen holds the record for precocity with a first participation in a Grand Prix at the age of 17 years, 5 months and 15 days in Australia in 2015. He is followed by Lance stroll and his 18 years, 4 months and 26 days. If he starts this Saturday, the Englishman would then place himself in third position with 18 years, 10 months and 1 day, thus dislodging Jaime Alguersuari, established in Hungary in 2009 by Toro Rosso at 19 years, 4 months and 3 days.

Max Verstappen during his first race weekend in 2015. © DPPI / Frederic Le Floch.

Successor to Arturo Merzario, or almost

By replacing the convalescent Carlos Sainz, Ollie Bearman will also treat himself to a luxury that few drivers have had the chance to have in the past: that of competing in his first F1 Grand Prix directly with Scuderia Ferrari.

To find any trace of such a “feat”, we have to go back to the 1972 British Grand Prix (July 15). That year, Arturo Merzario took advantage of the fact that the Italian manufacturer only hired Jacky Ickx full-time to make his big debut. A race completed at 6^e place one lap behind the winner of the day Emerson Fittipaldi (Lotus). Nearly 52 years later, it’s happening again.

Furthermore, he will logically be the youngest driver in history to compete in a Grand Prix with Ferrari ahead of Ricardo Rodriguez who was 19 years 6 months and 27 when he raced the Italian Grand Prix in 1961.

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