Rookies Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli were not even born when Fernando Alonso made his Formula 1 debut. More than twenty years later, the two debutants are racing against the two-time world champion, and against other childhood hero Lewis Hamilton. “These guys have been around for so long and have so much experience,” says Bearman.
Fernando Alonso made his Formula 1 debut as early as 2001, making him the most experienced driver on the current grid. Lewis Hamilton has also been in the premier class for quite some time. The Brit made his debut in 2007 for McLaren. This is a stark contrast to this season’s rookies, including Haas’ Oliver Bearman and Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who are only in their first year.
In fact, some of the rookies were not even born when Alonso made his Formula 1 debut. “It’s really crazy, that when (Alonso, ed.) started in Formula 1, my parents hadn’t even thought of me yet,” Antonelli tells ESPN. “And his neither!”, the young Italian refers to his fellow rookie Oliver Bearman. Bearman was born in 2005, Kimi Antonelli in 2006.
‘Pretty cool’
The two birth years of the rookies also happen to be the two years in which Alonso won his world titles. “It’s scary to think that Alonso, I think before my parents met, was already racing in Formula 1,” Bearman agrees with Antonelli. “But to share the track with him, and also with Lewis, is actually incredible. These guys have been around for so long and have so much experience.”
Alonso and Hamilton are both heroes of both Bearman and Antonelli. “You grow up watching these guys on TV,” continues the Haas driver. “Lewis won everything when we were growing up and now we’re racing against him, that’s pretty cool.”
