OLLIE BEARMAN EYES 'DREAM' FERRARI MOVE AFTER JOINING HAAS FOR NEXT SEASON - AS THE 19-YEAR-OLD MAKES IT FOUR BRITS ON THE GRID FOR 2025
- Ollie Bearman was unveiled as a driver for Haas for next season on Thursday
- The 19-year-old Brit previously raced for Ferrari in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- Bearman revealed his dream is to one day secure a permanent seat at Ferrari
And now there are four. Ollie Bearman completed the quartet of British drivers in Formula One when he was unveiled on Thursday as a Haas driver for next season.
At 19 years old, the Essex-born racer joins Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris and George Russell on the grid.
The announcement made at a chilly Silverstone got the British Grand Prix weekend off to a cheery start — his proud father David capturing Ollie's unveiling on his phone from a balcony in the US team's motorhome.
For a newly minted rookie, Ollie revealed an old head on young shoulders, part of the make-up that has accelerated him to this position at such a young age. Another helpful factor, as he admitted, was replacing appendicitis-afflicted Carlos Sainz in Jeddah earlier in the season.
Seventh place in a Ferrari, on one of the fastest and most dangerous tracks in the world, won him the acclaim of Max Verstappen and Hamilton, who rhapsodised a 'future star'.
Bearman revealed that the seven-time world champion once sent him an encouraging message, dating back to before his inclusion in the Ferrari Academy.
'I received a video from Lewis in 2015 or 2016 and he said, 'Keep pushing and hopefully you can make it to Formula One day',' he revealed.
'Lewis met one of my mum's friends and she got him to make a video. It was the most amazing day of my life. Now here I am. It is crazy to share the track with these guys. It is a pinch-yourself-moment.'
Bearman will continue to carry '87' on his car. 'It is the number I have used since the beginning and the one my dad raced with because I was born on May 8 and my brother on August 7, so 87 it is.'
Bearman lives near to the Scuderia's factory in Maranello, northern Italy, and has picked up the local accent that mixes with his Chelmsford tones.
He will maintain his links with Ferrari, for whom Haas effectively act as a junior team, but is undecided where he will live next year.
His goal is to land a permanent seat at Ferrari. 'It is every boy's dream,' he smiled. And what about a seat possibly opening up if Hamilton retires over the next few seasons?
'It is hard not to think about that, but I am not thinking about it,' he said.
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