Bahrain might be known for its spectacular sunsets and rich history, but the 2025 Formula 1 Grand Prix was all about resilience for Ollie Bearman.
The Bahrain International Circuit, renowned for its tyre degradation and strategy-heavy racing, made for a tough start for Ollie but ultimately resulted in his third consecutive points finish in a feat that continues to underline how fast he is finding his feet in F1.
Practice
Ollie stepped aside in the first of three Practice sessions to allow reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa a run in the Haas F1 Team car, part of the team’s ongoing driver development programme.
Back in the car for FP2, Ollie wasted no time showing his pace, clocking a time just 0.008 seconds shy of Lewis Hamilton, finishing the session in P9. The final practice session saw air temperatures hit 33°C. Ollie took to the track on the hard compound tyres, finishing the session in P16.
Qualifying
Ollie looked strong early in Q1, but a few costly errors on his final lap meant he could not improve on his initial time. He was knocked out in the first session, qualifying P20 and lining up last on the grid for Sunday’s race.
The Race
Ollie launched off the line like a driver with everything to prove - he was better than P20, and everyone needed to know. By Turn 1, he had already made up four places in a series of spectacular overtakes and by Lap 8, he was running P14.
When other drivers began pitting early, including teammate Esteban Ocon, Ollie climbed to P6 before pitting for Hard tyres on Lap 15. Rejoining in P17, Ollie began to rebuild his race, gaining ground with each lap. He moved past fellow rookie Isack Hadjar by Lap 21, clinching P13. He kept climbing, despite being investigated for a potential unsafe release during his pitstop (no further action was taken).
As drivers began to fill the pits for their second tyre change, Ollie climbed to P9, one of the only drivers seemingly taking well to the hard compound rubber, given the conditions.
A Safety Car on Lap 32 gave Ollie the perfect opportunity to pit, losing less time than he usually would, thanks to the slower race pace behind the Safety Car. With a quick switch to soft compound tyres, Ollie rejoined in twelfth, perfectly placed for a late charge.
On the restart, he wasted no time trying to pass those sitting between him and the points. P11 by Lap 37, Ollie chased down the Alpine of Jack Doohan, passing on Lap 47. With previous F2 teammate Kimi Antonelli closing in fast in his Mercedes, Ollie held his ground with superb pace, defending fiercely in the final laps to cross the line in P10, just 0.422 seconds ahead of the Italian driver.
Looking Ahead
As the top-placed rookie crossing the line in Bahrain, Ollie has finished three out of the four races so far this season in the points. With both Haas cars scoring points in Bahrain, the team now stands fifth in the Constructor Championship.
Next stop: Saudi Arabia, for Round 5 in Jeddah, from 18-20 April.
