As one of the youngest drivers on the Formula 1 grid, Oliver Bearman (20) is living the life he once dreamed of: racing in the premier class of motorsport, against champions like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. And the Haas driver is doing quite well in his first full season. It comes with sacrifices, but he’s more than willing to make them.
He admits to occasionally missing everyday moments and adventures with friends and family, but Bearman is more than willing to trade that for his life as a Formula 1 driver. “This is my dream life and I am grateful for it every day. There are moments when I miss things because races and travel consume a lot of time. I sometimes miss ordinary weekends with friends or family. But for me, these relatively small sacrifices do not outweigh the incredible opportunity to do what I am passionate about: racing.”
He does this against his idol Lewis Hamilton and multiple world champions like Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso. “When I lower the visor of my helmet, I am completely focused on driving. Whether that’s against Hamilton, Verstappen or another driver, it makes no difference to me. I try to perform as well as possible against my competitors regardless.”
Bearman continues: “Of course, it’s special to be able to race against champions like Hamilton, Verstappen, and Alonso, but I don’t think about it much. As a rookie, I experience relatively less pressure than the big names, but that gives me all the more peace to carve my own path.”
