PA Media/DPA
London
Oliver Bearman is ready to take the next step in his Formula One career at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
It was confirmed last month the British driver has been signed by Haas for next season and he has been given an early opportunity to test himself with the American team in Baku after Kevin Magnussen was banned for this race for reaching 12 points on his licence.
Bearman will make his second F1 race appearance, having been parachuted into the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz ahead of qualifying at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in March when the Spaniard was ruled out with appendicitis.
The 19-year-old from Essex, a member of Ferrari’s young driver academy, impressed on debut by qualifying 11th and finishing seventh.
“This is a great opportunity to build up experience and get a full weekend under my belt. I didn’t know it was coming (last time),” Bearman said.
“I want to use it to build up step by step and enjoy it as well.
“Knowing I am going to race is a big help and the fact I will be doing FP1 and FP2 is going to help me a lot to build it up.
“I have been training hard anyway because I am racing next year. Just continuing the process and making sure I am as ready as possible.”
Bearman has a positive experience of Baku under his belt already, having won both sprint and feature races around the street circuit in F2 last season.
“Last year went pretty well, I was excited to come here in F2. To make the step here in F1 this weekend is a great experience. I am looking forward to it,” Bearman added.
“From the outside it looked very clean last year, inside I hit the wall every single session! So I will be trying to tone that down a little bit and have a good weekend.
“We have three sessions, I want to maximize myself and gain experience. It’s going to be the most sessions I have done in F1 - I have never even done an FP2 before.”
