- Barman replaced Sainz late to finish seventh at Saudi GP
- Vettel retired from F1 at the end of the 2022 season as a four-time champion
- The 18-year-old will now return to F2 for the Australian GP on March 24.
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Oliver Bearman has revealed that a “special” message from four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel raised the pressure ahead of his F1 debut in Saudi Arabia.
The 18-year-old was brought in as a late replacement for Carlos Sainz ahead of Friday’s qualifying, before finishing seventh overall in Jeddah, scoring six points for his team.
It was a whirlwind 24 hours for the driver, who only learned he would take Sainz’s place a few hours before qualifying.
Bearman, who is racing in Formula 2 for the Scuderia this season, spoke about the well wishes he received before the race and revealed the German driver’s note was his favourite.
“I received a lot of congratulations and also good luck messages before the race,” he told Sky Sports. “My favorite was Sebastian Vettel’s.
Oliver Bearman had a whirlwind few days in Saudi Arabia after being called into the F1 paddock
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel retired from the sport in 2022 but expects a return
The 18-year-old showed few signs of inexperience or limited training time with an impressive drive that saw him secure seventh place.
“I’ve been a big fan of his since the beginning. Until his retirement, I always supported Seb, so to receive a message from him was really special.
“Knowing he was watching me put a little pressure, but it was nice pressure.”
Vettel, one of F1’s most recognizable faces, retired in 2022 after a distinguished career that saw him line up for Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin.
The 36-year-old is being tipped for a return to the sport, with Ralf Schumacher, the brother of the legendary Michael Schumacher, recently saying he has heard he “wants to drive again”.
Bearman, meanwhile, is seen among many in the sport as one of the next big talents coming up the ranks.
There is no doubt that many team bosses will be keeping an eye on him over the coming years, with reports emerging last week that he could secure a permanent place in Formula 1 next season.
With Sainz set to make way for Hamilton at Ferrari in 2025, there may not yet be room for Bearman at the Prancing Horse. But according to The Sun, he could be one of the favorites to join their customer team Haas, with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg out of contract at the end of the season.
Despite this, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur has revealed what this season could look like for the reserve driver, with Bearman set to return to F2 for the upcoming Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, before starting the FP1 sessions with Haas.