Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur finds Antonio Giovinazzi's 2023 schedule 'ridiculous', rejigs reserve driver role for 2024 F1, with Oliver Bearman set to make debut in Saudi Arabia He said it would pave the way for
Following Carlos Sainz's successful appendicitis surgery in Saudi Arabia on Friday, Ferrari has removed 18-year-old reserve Bearman from Formula 2 duties and put Prema on pole position for the feature race to prepare for Formula 2. I had to call in late to let them know. 1 debut.
Ferrari took advantage of Oliver Bearman's F2 schedule
The decision came as a surprise to some who thought Ferrari would rely on an experienced F1 racer from his generation, former Alfa Romeo driver Giovinazzi. The Italian has 62 grand prix starts and is currently part of Ferrari's hypercar program, as is Robert Schwartzman, who was also an option.
Giovinazzi had been designated as Ferrari's reserve driver from 2017 to 2023, but Vasseur believed it would be “foolish” to impose that burden on him at the same time as competing in the World Endurance Championship, and he was appointed as Ferrari's reserve driver from 2017 to 2023, ahead of the new season. chose to put the responsibility on Giovinazzi for each F1 round. .
Therefore, the fact that Bearman was already in Saudi Arabia in an F2 capacity initially meant that he was given the nod to replace Sainz.
“Last year I thought it was a bit foolish to ask Antonio to run 22 or 24 races alongside the LMH program, so I made the decision in the winter,” Vasseur told the media at the Saudi Grand Prix.
“LMH is very important to us and it's a big challenge, but we don't want to ask Antonio or Schwartzman to travel with us and be in F1 the week after Qatar.” [the WEC season-opener]and the races in between.
“That's why we decided that when Olly is with us he's a substitute player and when he's not with us he's in the sims.”
Recommended by PlanetF1.com
Rich list of F1 team representatives: Net worth of Wolff, Horner and others revealed
F1 12 drivers' contracts expire after 2024 season
Bearman impressed with a seventh-place finish on his debut at Jeddah and will return to the Australian Grand Prix, although it remains to be determined whether it will be for F2 or whether he will be needed again as an F2 replacement. do not have. Sainz.
In any case, Vasseur is expected to take part in some FP1 sessions for Ferrari customer team Haas, while Bearman's focus this year is F2 and he will have to work hard to get into the title race. He emphasized that there is.
“This is certainly a good sign and an important milestone for Ollie,” Vasseur said of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix performance that caught Bearman's eye.
“Melbourne and Imola will see him return to his F2 project, but this will be the most important challenge for Ollie.
“He will soon start FP1 sessions with Haas, which will be important in terms of giving him experience and mileage on the car. [Jeddah] He's already got the results in his pocket.”
Bearman finished seventh in his debut race, taking him to 10th in the opening standings of the 2024 F1 Drivers' Championship.
Read next: Eddie Jordan, Carlos Sainz's worrying conclusion after Olly Bearman's mega debut
