Former Haas team boss Günther Steiner sees Oliver Bearman as a natural successor to Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. The young rookie kicked off his Formula 1 career with a substitute role at Scuderia, stepping in for a sick Carlos Sainz during the Saudi Arabian GP in 2024, where he made an immediate impact with a seventh-place finish. According to Steiner, Bearman could very well replace Hamilton at Ferrari in 2027.
As Lewis Hamilton wraps up his first season in Ferrari red, the Formula 1 paddock is already looking ahead. The seven-time world champion failed to secure a podium finish throughout 2025, leading some critics to question if Hamilton has passed his peak.
Günther Steiner is also eyeing the future, viewing Oliver Bearman as a fitting successor to the Brit at Scuderia. “I mean, he started off quickly this year but made mistakes. However, in the second half of the season, he managed to eliminate those errors, as if a switch had been flipped,” Steiner analyzed Bearman’s season on The Red Flags podcast. “In the first half, I thought he took too many risks with the car he had, which led to him going off track a few times. That wasn’t good, as he racked up a lot of penalty points. But in the second half, he kept collecting penalty points without making any mistakes, even during races where he fought hard.”
2027
The former Haas team boss predicts a bright future for the young driver. “We all know he can overtake, and I think the door should be open for him at Ferrari by 2027,” Steiner continued. “If Lewis doesn’t achieve the success he needs, I don’t think he’ll continue, and then there’s an obvious candidate for Ferrari.”
