Ferrari academy product Oliver Bearman has said it’s been thrilling to watch Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence in 2026, even if it is “not ideal” for his own hopes of driving for the Italian team one day.
British driver Bearman joined Ferrari engine customer Haas on a loan deal last year and looks likely to stay for 2027.
Bearman actually made his Formula 1 debut for Ferrari as stand-in for the unwell Carlos Sainz at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but has not raced for the team again.
There was speculation in 2025 that Bearman might be fast-tracked to the Italian team full-time during Hamilton’s struggle for form, but that situation has changed completely this year.
Hamilton has been a man rejuvenated under the new regulations and claimed his first win in Ferrari red at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix -- the seven-time world champion went into the summer break second in the world championship behind Kimi Antonelli.
Hamilton shared the Barcelona podium with fellow Brits Lando Norris and George Russell.
Bearman admitted seeing the moment was bittersweet.
“As an F1 fan and a Lewis fan as well, it’s pretty cool to see him performing at the level he is,” Bearman told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast. “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.
“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 still appears to be Ferrari’s most obvious long-term driver option, but seeing a clear path to his elevation is difficult.
The length of Hamilton’s deal has never been made public, but he has repeatedly said it goes beyond 2026 -- sources have told ESPN that it runs until the end of 2027 at least.
Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc signed an extension to remain with the team “for the coming seasons.” Sources in the paddock have suggested to ESPN that the extension goes into 2030 and potentially beyond.
That locks Ferrari’s line-up down for the foreseeable future.
Although Bearman’s ultimate goal remains the same, he gave a clear indication he would be happy to look elsewhere for a drive if the Ferrari option remained closed off for too long.
“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.”
