Oliver Bearman gave his father an emotional hug after stealing the show and finishing seventh in his first Formula One race.
The 18-year-old hugged his father, David Bearman, after his impressive performance during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.
The teenager, who won the driver of the day award, kissed his father on the cheek and wrapped both his arms lovingly around him.
The F2 driver managed to surpass another Briton, Lewis Hamilton, who has won eight championships over the years and will join Ferrari next season.
However, Oliver was unable to overtake George Russell in the other Mercedes.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the race, Oliver joked that he was “a bit tired” and “not looking his best” after his debut.
‘It was a fantastic race, pushing until the end. I was surprised at how fast we were going, getting faster with each lap. That was incredible.’
Oliver hugged his father, David Bearman, after his impressive race during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.
Oliver managed to get seventh place on his F1 debut, ahead of Lewis Hamilton
Oliver gave his dad a kiss on the cheek and yesterday said he was “extremely proud” of his teenage son.
Oliver’s father seemed almost disgusted when he saw him race yesterday in his first Formula One qualifying with Ferrari.
One video showed David Bearman visibly shaken and breathing heavily as he watched in the Ferrari garage.
Oliver was almost immediately placed under investigation for failing to follow the race director’s notes after potentially driving too slowly, but was cleared.
After the race, David told Sky Sports: ‘I’m very proud. He did well and did a fantastic job.’
Sainz had to abandon the race this week due to appendicitis, but said the operation went smoothly and thanked fans for their messages of support.
He saw his teammate Charles LeClerc take a podium finish with third place, alongside Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen, who has won two races so far this season.
Oliver previously revealed how special it felt to drive for Ferrari in F1, as he became the first Englishman to drive for The Prancing Horse since Nigel Mansell in 1990.
“The stars have aligned,” Bearman said. “It feels like a very rapid progression in my career since I drove in F4 a few years ago (in 2021).
“I only did my first F1 test a few months ago (in 2023), so making my F1 debut in red is hopefully a sign of things to come,” he added.
‘I didn’t receive any notice. I woke up this morning fully prepared and ready for my F2 race and then got the call a couple of hours before FP3. “These are not the circumstances in which I would have liked to debut and I wish Carlos the best, but it is still a fantastic opportunity.”
Oliver previously revealed how special it felt to drive for Ferrari in F1, as he became the first Englishman to drive for The Prancing Horse since Nigel Mansell in 1990.
Bearman joined legends Hamilton and Fernando Alonso on track this weekend.
The F2 driver managed to overtake another British compatriot, Lewis Hamilton, who has won eight championships over the years and will join Ferrari next season.
Bearman, joined legends Hamilton and Fernando Alonso on the track this weekend.
He was just 18 months old when Lewis Hamilton debuted in Formula One and had not even been born when Alonso, 42, won his first title.
The young driver admitted to Mail Sport last year that his “pro-education” mother Terri needed convincing to allow him to leave primary school, his family and his two dogs behind.
Bearman eventually got his mother’s approval to enter the academy in Modena, located 12 miles north of the Ferrari factory in Maranello in northern Italy. Since then he has developed an Italian accent.
“Maybe I was a bit lucky not to have an Essex accent,” he told Mail Sport last year. ‘Many people have told me that my accent has changed, although I don’t notice it.
‘I spend a lot of time with Italians and communicating with people whose first language is not English is not easy, so I changed the word order and ended up with this accent everywhere.
‘When I moved to Modena, everything happened quite quickly. It was like going to college two years early, but I’ve enjoyed every moment so far.
‘My mother was very much in favor of school and education, but in the end we managed to convince her.
‘I miss my family and my dogs. I have an English bull terrier and a Boston terrier and they are very cute.
‘That’s the negative side. But the food in Italy is far superior to English and the weather is better too.
Bearman is reported to be in a relationship with Estelle Ogilvy, who goes by Silly Lettuce on TikTok, where she shares her fashion inspiration and various outfits of the day.
The couple are believed to want to keep their relationship a secret after sharing a photo together on social media this week, before quickly deleting the snap.