Oliver Bearman’s got a dream. Racing for Ferrari. Winning in red. Making childhood fantasies reality. Lovely aspirations from someone who just finished his rookie season 13th in the championship. Because nothing says “I’m ready for the big time” quite like openly admitting you’re jealous of your mate’s Red Bull promotion whilst confirming Ferrari hasn’t actually discussed your future, does it?
The 20-year-old Brit outscored race-winner Esteban Ocon at Haas in 2025. Fourth in Mexico after battling Max Verstappen. Sixth in Sao Paulo. That’s properly impressive stuff from a rookie who spent the first half collecting 11th-place finishes like loyalty points. Now he’s convinced his “time will come” for a Ferrari seat, despite admitting there’s been “no conversation” about actually making that happen.
Fair play to him for the honesty. Most drivers would manufacture vague optimism about ongoing discussions. Bearman’s straight-up confirming that whilst he chats occasionally with Fred Vasseur about his season challenges, nobody’s mentioned promotion. He just drives the car. The rest will “sort itself out.” What reassuring career planning from someone whose Ferrari dream depends entirely on Lewis Hamilton retiring or Charles Leclerc leaving.
When Your Jealousy Shows Before Your Diplomacy
Bearman admits he’s “a bit jealous” of Isack Hadjar‘s Red Bull promotion. The Frenchman impressed at Racing Bulls, earned a seat alongside Verstappen, and now gets to fight for wins whilst Bearman returns to Haas for 2026. That’s proper transparency from someone whose Formula 3 rival just leapfrogged him in the pecking order.
“Yeah, I’m a bit jealous, of course, that he’s going to be probably fighting for a lot, up in a team like Red Bull. But I’m sure my time will come, and I’m very happy for him.” – Oliver Bearman
Happy for him. Sure. Nothing screams genuine happiness quite like publicly declaring jealousy first then adding diplomatic congratulations afterwards. Bearman raced against Hadjar since Formula 3. Watched him develop. Now he’s watching him graduate to Red Bull whilst he remains at F1’s perennial backmarker.
The British youngster finds comfort in the fact that Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli, and Gabriel Bortoleto all landed manufacturer seats. The 2025 rookie class is getting “recognised” at top teams. Just not him. He’s “waiting for my shot now, but it will come one day.” Lovely optimism from someone whose parent team just signed Hamilton through 2026 with Leclerc contracted beyond that.
The Ferrari Dream Nobody’s Actually Offering
Bearman’s Ferrari ambition is properly heartfelt. That’s what motivates him. Gets him up every morning. Gives him drive to push harder. He wants to race in red. Win in red. Make it his “goal in life.” Because he’s already tasted Ferrari life during his Saudi Arabian debut in 2024, replacing Carlos Sainz after appendicitis ruled out the Spaniard.
“I want to race in red. I want to win in red. And that’s my goal in life. Of course, I’m lucky enough to have had the taste, I know what it feels like, so I want to come back to that feeling.” – Oliver Bearman
That Saudi weekend provides both motivation and torture. He experienced what Ferrari feels like. Managed a proper performance. Scored points on debut. Then returned to reality at Haas, knowing exactly what he’s missing whilst Lewis Hamilton endured his catastrophic first Ferrari season.
The uncomfortable question nobody’s asking: why would Ferrari promote Bearman when they’ve already committed to Hamilton and Leclerc for 2026? Hamilton just completed the worst season of his career, yes. But Ferrari’s betting everything on regulation changes fixing their problems. If the SF-26 suddenly works, Hamilton stays. If it doesn’t work, Ferrari’s hiring someone with more experience than a 21-year-old rookie.
The “Open Dialogue” That Discusses Absolutely Nothing Important
Bearman catches up with Vasseur “from time to time.” They discuss challenges he’s facing. What’s happening beyond the results on paper. All very cordial and supportive. Just zero conversation about his actual future at Ferrari.
“Regarding my future, no conversation. I just drive the car. I think the rest will sort itself out if I perform at a good level.” – Oliver Bearman
Brilliant career strategy, that. Hope performance magically creates opportunities without actually negotiating or positioning yourself. Perhaps if he drives brilliantly enough, Ferrari will spontaneously remember they’ve got a talented youngster waiting? Maybe Vasseur will wake up one morning and decide Hamilton’s struggles warrant immediate replacement?
The reality? Ferrari’s focused entirely on 2026 regulations. They’ve got two drivers contracted. Bearman’s useful as someone testing their customer power units at Haas, providing data whilst developing his skills. That’s the actual role. Not future Ferrari star. Current development asset.
When Being “Ready” Means Absolutely Nothing
Bearman insists he feels “ready” for whatever comes. Performing at a “very high level.” Prepared to deliver for any team that calls. Lovely confidence from someone who collected penalty points throughout 2025 like they were achievement badges.
He’s perilously close to a race ban. The speed and big results came naturally. Fourth in Mexico was brilliant. But reducing mistakes proved considerably trickier. Australia brought crashes. Monaco and Silverstone delivered red flag violations triggering grid penalties. Britain dropped him from eighth to 18th after what he called a “silly” error.
Those aren’t characteristics of someone ready for Ferrari’s pressure. That’s a talented youngster still learning racecraft fundamentals. Which is perfectly acceptable for a 20-year-old rookie. Just don’t pretend you’re prepared to partner Leclerc when you’re racking up penalty points faster than championship finishes.
The 2026 Regulations That Might Change Nothing
Bearman’s banking on 2026’s new regulations creating opportunities. Fresh technical rules. Nobody knows what works yet. If Haas builds a competitive car, suddenly he’s proving himself in proper machinery. Then Ferrari might notice. Might consider promotion. Might actually have that conversation about his future.
“I really hope that we have a strong car performance based on our performance throughout the year. I have a strong, you know, a good feeling, and really back this team.” – Oliver Bearman
What’s properly entertaining is Bearman’s assumption that Haas will suddenly become competitive under new regulations. The American team finished eighth in 2025. They’ve never challenged for podiums consistently. Their development resources pale compared to established operations. Why would 2026 magically transform them into title contenders?
The more realistic scenario? Haas builds another midfield car. Bearman delivers solid performances. Finishes somewhere between 10th and 15th in the championship. Then watches Ferrari sign someone else whilst being told his “time will come” for another season.
When Your Parent Team Gives Zero Feedback
Here’s the truly awkward detail. Bearman receives “no positive or negative feedback” from Ferrari about his performances. They discuss challenges. Talk about regulations. Share technical information about power units. Just nothing about whether his driving actually impresses them.
That’s either remarkable trust in his development or complete indifference to his progress. Ferrari’s treating him like a customer rather than family. Haas runs Ferrari engines. Bearman provides useful data. The relationship’s transactional rather than developmental.
Compare that to how Mercedes managed Kimi Antonelli. Constant feedback. Clear pathway. Promotion confirmed early. That’s proper driver development from a manufacturer invested in their junior’s future. Ferrari’s approach with Bearman? Vague encouragement whilst committing to other drivers.
The Saudi Arabia Memory That Changes Nothing
Bearman references his Saudi Arabian GP debut repeatedly. That weekend provides his entire Ferrari experience. One race. One opportunity. One taste of what racing in red actually means. Now he’s desperate to return whilst Ferrari shows zero indication they’re considering it.
He replaced Sainz. Managed a proper performance. Scored points. Then Sainz returned, Bearman moved to Haas full-time, and that Ferrari chapter closed. Except in Bearman’s mind, where it remains his ultimate motivation and career target.
Perhaps 2027 brings opportunities if Hamilton retires. Maybe Leclerc’s management makes good on their threats to explore options if Ferrari doesn’t deliver championships. Or possibly Bearman spends years waiting for a call that never comes, watching other drivers claim the seats he’s convinced should be his.
The Dream That Depends on Everyone Else Failing
Let’s be honest about Bearman’s Ferrari chances. They require Hamilton’s struggles continuing. Leclerc becoming dissatisfied. Ferrari deciding a young, mistake-prone driver represents better value than experienced alternatives. That’s an awful lot of variables needing to align perfectly.
Meanwhile, he’s committed to Haas for 2026. No conversations about his future happening. No feedback on his performances arriving. Just vague optimism that somehow, eventually, Ferrari will remember he exists and decide he’s their answer.
Fair play to him for the dream. Racing for Ferrari motivates millions of youngsters. But dreams without action plans remain fantasies. And right now, Bearman’s Ferrari future exists entirely in his own imagination whilst the team focuses on completely different priorities.
