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Haas Formula 1 driver Oliver Bearman has admitted that Lewis Hamilton’s return to race-winning form with Ferrari has complicated his own aspirations of securing a seat at the Maranello outfit.
After an impressive debut at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, when he stood in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari, Bearman secured a full-time seat at Haas in 2025.
Following a stellar rookie campaign that included a standout fourth-place finish at the Mexican Grand Prix, the Briton was heavily linked to a future Ferrari seat, particularly amid Hamilton’s early struggles at the outfit.
But the seven-time champion has bounced back in 2026. He recently secured his maiden grand prix victory with Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, and he currently sits second in the drivers’ championship.
During an interview on the F1 Beyond The Grid podcast, Bearman addressed the changes at Ferrari.
“As an F1 fan and a Lewis fan as well, it’s pretty cool to see him performing at the level he is,” Bearman said. “Seeing him on the top step in Barcelona was quite a special moment for British F1 in general. It was three Brits on the podium, with the best driver we’ve ever seen in P1. That’s something pretty special.
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images
“Of course, in terms of my future, that’s not ideal. But I’m still young. I’m only 21. I’m not in a huge rush, and for me, staying at Haas for the foreseeable is not a bad thing. I feel like there’s a lot to learn at this team. There’s a lot to still achieve.”
Bearman has consistently outperformed his experienced team-mate Esteban Ocon during 2025 and the first half of 2026. While Bearman confirmed he is committed to Haas’s project, he added that his ultimate goal is still to become a Ferrari driver at some point.
“My goal remains to be a Ferrari driver one day,” he explained. “Of course, I don’t want to be sitting around for three, four, five years waiting for a seat to become available because there are no guarantees. You can be wasting your best years.
“My ultimate goal is maybe a bit selfish, and that’s OK, because that’s the reason I’m here: I want to be fighting for world championships. So, if I can have that opportunity wherever, I will take it.”
