Humble in Victory: Oliver Bearman’s Honest Admission After Azerbaijan GP Win
Oliver Bearman Makes History at 2024 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Oliver Bearman became the first driver to score points for two different teams in his first two Grand Prix appearances, a remarkable feat in the world of Formula 1.
Bearman, who replaced Kevin Magnussen after a one-race suspension, was given the opportunity to compete in every session at the track where he had previously performed well in Formula 2. He initially qualified in 11th place, two places ahead of teammate Nico Hulkenberg.
However, Lewis Hamilton’s pit lane start moved Bearman into the top 10, and he ultimately landed in the points. Like other drivers, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz crashed at the end of the race, moving Bearman up two positions.
“I was a little bit too cautious,” Bearman said of his performance after his Haas debut. “The points may not have been worth it” before the accident. However, combined with Ferrari’s seventh-place finish at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he has earned seven points and sits 16th in the drivers’ standings.
“It was a tough race,” Bearman explained. ”I was a little bit too cautious in the first stint, and I was a little bit behind the pack. It was a little bit difficult.”
“The second stint was much better, but I got stuck in traffic a few times, and every time I tried to overtake, I lost a bit of grip because the tyres overheated.”
“It took me a few laps to get back into the rhythm, but I managed to maintain a good pace even in clean air. But staying in clean air is not easy.”
Bearman crashed in FP3 but recovered to finish a few tenths faster than Hulkenberg. However, in the early stages of the race, Hulkenberg overtook his teammate and moved up the order.
By lap 10, the two had swapped positions, with Hulkenberg leading for much of the race. However, towards the end, his front wing hit something, and he slowed, allowing Bearman to pass him again.
Asked if he intended to discuss team orders with Haas, Bearman said: “No, I don’t think there was any need to discuss them.”
“I should have increased the speed because I was slower at that moment, and it was interfering with my strategy. As I said, I was thinking too easily. It turned out that I was much faster, and I went faster by mistake, and it is natural to change drivers.”
Category: Formula 1 / Oliver Bearman / Haas F1 Team / F1 Azerbaijan GP