Securing two distinct Formula 4 championship titles in a single calendar year established Oliver Bearman as a emerging talent in professional motorsport. Born in 2005 in Chelmsford, the British driver quickly transitioned from karting successes into junior formula categories, eventually joining the Ferrari Driver Academy and earning a permanent seat with the Haas Formula One team for 2025.
Early Karting Success
Bearman began his competitive karting career in 2013 with the Trent Valley Kart Club. He progressed through the Cadet category of the Super 1 National Championships, achieving a best finish of second place during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. His karting career culminated in 2019 with victories in the IAME International Final, the IAME Euro Series, and the IAME Winter Cup, followed by further success in the X30 Senior Category in 2020.
Dual Championship Dominance
The 2021 season marked a pivotal moment when Bearman performed double duties in both the Italian and German Formula 4 championships with Van Amersfoort Racing. He dominated the Italian series with eleven wins and fifteen podium finishes. Simultaneously, he secured the ADAC Formula 4 crown in Germany, becoming the first driver to secure two successive Formula 4 titles in a single year. These performances earned him the Henry Surtees Award for outstanding performance by a BRDC rising star.
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After his F4 successes, Bearman competed in the GB3 Championship with Fortec Motorsports in 2021, finishing 14th overall. He later joined the Formula Regional Asian Championship for two rounds before graduating to the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2022 with Prema Racing. During his rookie season in F3, he maintained high performance levels, which facilitated his continued rise through the racing ranks and his entry into the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Formula One Integration
A member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2022, Bearman transitioned into a reserve driver role for both Ferrari and Haas by 2024. His professional progression culminated in his appointment as a full-time driver for Haas for the 2025 season alongside Esteban Ocon. He has committed to a contract with the team lasting until at least the end of the 2027 season, choosing 87 as his permanent racing number.
Fast facts
- Born: 8 May 2005
- Birthplace: Chelmsford, United Kingdom
- Primary Occupations: Racing automobile driver
- Ferrari Driver Academy member since: 2022
- 2021 Italian F4 Championship wins: 11
- 2021 ADAC F4 Championship wins: 6
- Formula One team (2025): Haas
- Permanent racing number: 87
Questions readers ask
Which junior championships did Bearman win in 2021?
He won both the Italian F4 Championship and the ADAC F4 Championship.
When did Bearman join the Haas Formula One team full-time?
He joined the team as a full-time driver for the 2025 season.
What is Bearman's permanent racing number?
He chose 87, which was the number he first used in karting.
Achievements
- Discipline: auto racing
