Oliver Bearman, Haas, Circuit de Catalunya, 2024

Bearman expects more from first full weekend as an F1 driver

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In the round-up: Oliver Bearman expects to build on his first experience of competing in Formula 1 when he returns this weekend.

In brief

Bearman eager to tackle full weekend

Bearman took over Carlos Sainz Jnr’s Ferrari at short notice during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, missing the first two practice sessions. He expects more this weekend as he steps into Kevin Magnussen’s car following the Haas driver’s ban from the event.

“I’m excited about getting back inside a Formula 1 car and competing in my first full weekend,” said Bearman. “I’ve done FP1s with the team, but to be able to build on that and actually do a full weekend is a really exciting prospect.”

Bearman achieved the rare feat of winning both Formula 2 races at the Baku City Circuit during last year’s event. “Last year I had a lot of success in Baku and it’s really one of my favourite tracks to compete at, so I’m really excited to get going,” he said.

“I’ve had time in the simulator, it’s definitely a challenging track… not being a permanent circuit, the walls are very close and it’s tight in some places, especially the famous castle section. That’s another point to focus on, make sure to build up to speed, in an as measured way as possible. I’m happy I have a lot of laps in the car because this will be my first full weekend which I haven’t had the pleasure of having before.”

One Williams junior replaces another

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The day after Zak O’Sullivan confirmed he will not complete the F2 season with ART, Williams confirmed another of their junior drivers will take his place. Luke Browning will drive his car from this weekend.

Legge returns for finale

Coyne’s number 51 IndyCar will be driven for the final time this year by Katherine Legge. She scored her best result of the season in the last race at Milwaukee with 15th.

Larson attempting the double again

McLaren and NASCAR team Hendrick confirmed yesterday Kyle Larson will repeat his attempt to contest both the Indianapolis 500 and the 600-mile NASCAR race at Charlotte on the same day next year. He will be McLaren’s fourth driver in the Indy 500 alongside Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard.

Where’s Diplo? In an IndyCar

IndyCar has announced Thomas Pentz, better known by his stage name Diplo, will ride in their two-seater car ahead of this weekend’s championship-deciding Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway. Will IndyCar prove more to his taste than F1? He attended the inaugural Miami Grand Prix two years ago, after which he said “I don’t care about Formula 1 at all, but I do care about parties” and described the Red Bull-sponsored VIP suite as “this bad box, like a jail.”

More seriously, Pentz is the subject of multiple lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct, including sexual battery and distribution of ‘revenge porn’

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Comment of the day

Does Aston Martin’s technical team look a little top-heavy with the news of Adrian Newey’s arrival? If so, Keith isn’t concerned:

Mercedes did a similar hiring spree in the years preceding 2014. I believe at one point they had snapped up something like six or seven former technical directors from other teams. If the people in control have the right approach to the structure and organisation of the company, they will find the right roles to put them in to get the most out of them.
Keith Campbell (@Keithedin)

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Sweetooth and Dimitris 1395!

On this day in motorsport

Damon Hill, Williams, Monza, 1994
Damon Hill took points off absent championship leader Michael Schumacher today in 1994

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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7 comments on “Bearman expects more from first full weekend as an F1 driver”

  1. KatrinaM
    11th September 2024, 0:29

    Haha! Diplo doesn’t particularly care for F1…. so let’s bring up some charges that he has yet to be found guilty of! Honestly… I can’t think of any other reason you’d bring that sort of thing up on a motorsport website. Unless he’s found guilty, it’s none of our/your business.

    1. Jay
      11th September 2024, 2:39

      Exactly right. Allegations are just that. Innocent until proven guilty is still a thing. One of my favourite examples is an baseball player who was alleged to have multiple sexual assault and assault charges against him by 4 women. None of them have ever been proven but the player was banished from the league. He settled one suit with ‘no money or compensation’ changing hands, to either party as he counter sued. Another accuser said he assaulted her but recorded video of herself in his bed, he was asleep, the morning after.

      Once your image has been tarnished it’s almost impossible to come back from. I talk to friends about the above case and they still think he’s guilty, although it’s never, ever, been proven!

      1. notagrumpyfan
        11th September 2024, 7:31

        Innocent until proven guilty is still a thing.

        It might sound like nitpicking (that’s what lawyers do), but quite important to use the right words.
        The correct statement is: “ Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.”
        Thus merely considered ‘innocent’ whilst charged with a crime as well. Certainly not as clear-cut as the popular version of the statement.
        A bit ambiguous, thus in everybody’s interest to move as quickly as possible from charges to judgement.

        1. Jay
          11th September 2024, 7:39

          Thanks for the correction. Proper nomenclature is important!

    2. Profile Photo

      Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
      11th September 2024, 11:22

      I can’t think of any other reason you’d bring that sort of thing up on a motorsport website.

      If people are going to use motorsport to enhance their reputation or celebrity status, I see no problem with explaining who they are, whether they’re Diplo or Donald Trump or anyone else.

  2. Deerhunter
    11th September 2024, 5:55

    That Hyundai WEC rumor has been brewing for months, and I’d be stoked as hell if that were to come true.
    I’m not sure why they’d want to use the Genesis badge though, considering the entirety of Hyundai’s motorsport and sport car efforts have been entirely focused on the Hyundai N brand so far.

    Hell, the N 74 is probably one of their most exciting projects, and that one too, is a Hyundai.

  3. Profile Photo

    Jere (@jerejj)
    11th September 2024, 6:31

    McLaren people should know better that loaning is a non-option with independent teams that are fully manufacturer-owned & don’t even share a PU supplier, so Bortoleto would/could only race at Team Hinwil as a free agent, just like Lawson, for that matter.
    Besides, McLaren has zero intention of making any driver changes in the long term, so zero use for him in the first place.
    Nevertheless, Pourchaire would be an easier choice alongside Hulkenberg as even though he isn’t associated with Audi, he’s at least associated with Sauber, not to mention he’s already been overlooked for a full-time drive before, so getting a chance for at least a single season would be fair.

Comments are closed.