In a weekend where the long-standing reign of Red Bull was disrupted by McLaren’s rise to the top, it was Ollie Bearman who stole the racing spotlight once more with a remarkable performance in just his second Formula 1 race.
Stepping in for Kevin Magnussen at MoneyGram Haas Formula 1 Team, Ollie etched his name into the record books as the first driver to score points for two different teams in his first two Grand Prix starts - a feat that will be remembered long after the dust settles on the Baku’s challenging streets.
Free Practice Sessions
The race weekend at the lowest-lying capital city in the world, sitting at 28 metres below sea level, got underway on Friday with Ollie getting to grips with the demands of the car. Lap by lap, Ollie steadily improved, cracking the top ten and finishing the day just 0.072s behind teammate Nico Hulkenberg. After the first two sessions, Ollie was upbeat, sharing,
“It was nice to do a full Friday, building up step by step without having to rush anything. I was confident in the car which is really important at a track like this.”
Saturday’s practice saw a small hiccup, with Ollie misjudging the entry into Turn 1 and colliding with the barriers, resulting in a red flag. Despite the setback, his resilient nature shone through, as he quickly shook off the incident, ready to regroup for qualifying.
Qualifying
Bringing a new set of challenges, unlike F2 qualifying, Formula 1 qualifying is split into three short sessions with the top performers advancing through the sessions.
In Q1, with confidence and car restored, Ollie navigated the session smoothly, outperforming the likes of championship title contender Lando Norris who struggled to make it into the second session.
In Q2, with the Red Bull’s momentarily fastest, Ollie briefly sat in fifth position, before being edged down to P11, missing out on the third and final qualifying session by just a tenth of a second. However, circumstances worked in his favour with penalties reshuffling the grid. Ollie found himself starting the race from P10 on the grid.
Grand Prix
As the lights went out in Baku, Ollie got off to a great start, holding P10 for eight laps in the face of intense competition. Despite being passed by Norris and Hulkenberg, Ollie remained focused, showcasing his composure under pressure.
While the team Principal later acknowledged that their communication with Ollie could have been sharper during the first stint of the race, Ollie maintained a good pace, running in the middle of the field for much of the race.
By Lap 38, Ollie’s increasing awareness helped him manage his pace more effectively, up to P12 with Lewis Hamilton just 0.454s behind him and the Williams of Franco Colapinto ahead. Ollie later reflected on having Hamilton looming in his mirrors saying, “I knew he wasn’t going to put me in the wall [trying to pass] which is a bit less certain with some other drivers.”
The pivotal moment in the race came when a collision between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz triggered chaos in the closing stages. Bearman’s quick reaction allowed him to pass his teammate Hulkenberg, who was slower to respond. This meant Ollie was able to snatch P10 and secure a valuable point for his home team of 2025.
After his second points finish in Formula 1, following a P7 finish in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, Team Principal Ayao Komatsu praised Ollie, adding, “I think it is brilliant to bring home P10 and a much-needed point for the team.”
Looking Ahead
In only his second ever Formula 1 race, Ollie has already made a fantastic impression in the sport, rising to 16th in the driver standings and ranking above current Haas driver Kevin Magnussen and his teammate for next year, Esteban Ocon.
With his eyes firmly on the future, Ollie returns to Formula 2 to finish the season before making MoneyGram Haas his permanent home for the 2025 season. His next stop is Lusail, for the Qatar Grand Prix from 29 November.
