Oliver Bearman has revealed that he received a classy message from Lewis Hamilton during the early stages of his junior career, eight years before making his F1 debut as a teenager at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Essex-born racer was called up at short notice to replace Carlos Sainz in Jeddah after the Ferrari star was diagnosed with appendicitis and went on to dazzle the motorsport world, finishing ahead of fellow Brits Lando Norris and Hamilton, as he scored six points on his debut at one of the series’ most demanding circuits.
In 2025, he will share the grid with Hamilton, Norris and George Russell, becoming the fourth British driver in F1. His multi-year contract with Haas was announced in the build-up to the British Grand Prix, where Bearman will make one of his six scheduled free practice appearances for the North Carolina-based team.
However, his relations with Hamilton go way back. Asked about the experience of battling with the seven-time world champion on track, he said: “I hope I’m against him, that means we did a good job.
“So yeah it’s crazy, and actually I was looking back and I received a video from him in like 2015 or 2016 saying ‘Keep pushing, hopefully, you can make it to F1 one day.’ And here I am.
“So no, it’s crazy to share the track with these guys who I’ve watched racing, even Fernando [Alonso]. It’s something pretty special and it’s a pinch-yourself moment because these guys are, in my eyes, huge stars and someone that I look up to and it’s quite amazing that I’ll share the circuit with them.”
The 19-year-old was then asked how the video came about. “I think he met one of my mum’s friends or something like that, and she got him to make a video and it was like the most amazing day of my life,” he explained. “I just actually got reminded of it yesterday and I saw the video again, and it was a funny moment.”
While Bearman’s spot on the grid in 2024 is now confirmed, the identity of the Brit’s team-mate remains a mystery. Kevin Magnussen still holds hope that he could continue with Haas, but the American outfit are being heavily linked with a move for Esteban Ocon, whose departure from Alpine was confirmed after the race in Monaco.
