Ferrari’s reserve driver, Oliver Bearman, is set to embark on his maiden outing with Haas during the initial practice session at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, stepping into Kevin Magnussen’s car.
Bearman made an unexpected Formula One debut during this year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, filling in for Carlos Sainz after the latter was sidelined with appendicitis, leading to his withdrawal following the second free practice session.
This thrust the British driver into the spotlight, making him the third-youngest racer in Formula One history. Remarkably, he secured a commendable seventh-place finish in his sole appearance.
In addition to his commitments in the Formula 2 season, Bearman will undertake six FP1 sessions with Haas.
The 19-year-old talent will kick off his stint in Imola this weekend, commandeering Kevin Magnussen’s VF-24 for the opening sixty-minute session. This won’t be unfamiliar territory for Bearman, who already has two FP1 appearances under his belt from last year.
Expressing his anticipation for the opportunity, Bearman remarked, “I’m really looking forward to re-joining the team and taking part in the FP1 in Imola.
“The team is having a strong season and I’m hoping, with the extra experience I have since our last time together, I’ll be able to help continue the run of form they’re in!”
Reflecting on the commencement of the European leg of the season, Kevin Magnussen expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “It’s a great track, and one of those that I was watching as a kid and always wanted to race at, so it’s fantastic that it’s back on the calendar.
“It was a good weekend the last time we were there, I scored a point in the Sprint in 2022. The track is pretty difficult to overtake on, not impossible, but difficult so it will be more about qualifying than the average track.
“It’s going to be the first good opportunity we have to collect proper aero data on the car that we’re running now, so that’s going to be very useful and a good experiment.
“You can’t help but notice the history when you visit this circuit, some memories more sad than others with Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna’s accidents, but nonetheless it’s significant, and racing a Formula 1 car in Italy is always special.”
