Filling in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari, newcomer Oliver Bearman has outpaced Lewis Hamilton to set a record that has stood for twenty-five years in his very first Formula 1 weekend.
Bearman stepped in for Sainz, who had to withdraw from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendicitis. As Sainz undergoes surgery and misses the remainder of the weekend, Bearman, Ferrari’s reserve driver, seizes the chance to replace him in all sessions, including Saturday’s race.
This presents a thrilling opportunity for Bearman, albeit under unfortunate circumstances. Nonetheless, it also means he will surpass Hamilton in achieving a particular milestone before the latter joins Ferrari in the future.
When Bearman takes his place on the grid on Saturday afternoon, he will mark the first time in 25 years that a British driver has raced for Ferrari. This milestone was anticipated to be claimed by Mercedes star Hamilton, who had already committed to joining Ferrari from the next season.
However, Bearman will now secure that position in history. Prior to Bearman, Eddie Irvine was the last British driver to race for Ferrari, partnering with Michael Schumacher from 1996 to 1999.
Although Irvine didn’t secure any race victories for Ferrari, he achieved four podium finishes in his final season with the team at Maranello, which propelled him to second place in the drivers’ championship. Despite Irvine’s racing license being issued by the National Sporting Authority of the Republic of Ireland, he maintained British citizenship throughout his racing career.
Now, Bearman is set to become the first British driver since Irvine to race for Ferrari, as he puts aside his Formula 2 championship responsibilities for this weekend’s race in Saudi Arabia. A statement released by Ferrari confirmed the situation, stating, “Carlos Sainz has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will require surgery.
“Starting from FP3 and continuing for the remainder of this weekend, reserve driver Oliver Bearman will step in for him. Consequently, Oliver will not participate in any further sessions of the F2 Championship this round. The Ferrari team sends their best wishes to Carlos for a swift recovery.”