Bearman admits Hamilton resurgence ‘not ideal’ for his Ferrari future

Oliver Bearman has conceded that Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence at Ferrari has complicated his long-term ambitions of earning a seat with the Scuderia, but the Haas youngster insists he is in no hurry and remains focused on building his career step by step.

The 21-year-old Briton has long been viewed as one of Ferrari’s brightest prospects after progressing through the Italian squad’s junior programme and making his sensational Formula 1 debut as a stand-in for Carlos Sainz at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

After two further appearances with Haas that season, Bearman secured a full-time seat with the American team in 2025, where Ferrari opted to continue his development away from the intense spotlight of Maranello.

His impressive rookie campaign – including nine points-scoring finishes and a standout fourth place in Mexico – fuelled speculation that he could eventually become Hamilton’s successor at Ferrari, particularly when the seven-time world champion endured a difficult first year in red.

However, Hamilton’s fortunes have dramatically shifted in 2026. A victory in Barcelona and a return to the front of the grid have strengthened his position at Ferrari, leaving Bearman acknowledging that the landscape has changed.

‘In terms of my future, that’s not ideal’

Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast with Tom Clarkson, Bearman admitted that Hamilton’s revival has altered the conversation around his Ferrari prospects.

“Things have changed a lot in the last six months,” he said.

"As an F1 fan and a Lewis fan as well, it's pretty cool to see him performing at the level he is, and seeing him on the top step in Barcelona was quite a special moment for British F1 in general.

"It was three Brits on the podium, with the best British driver, the best driver we've ever seen in P1. That's something pretty special. Of course, in terms of my future, that's not ideal, but I'm still young.

"I'm only 21. I'm not in a huge rush, and, for me, staying at Haas for the foreseeable [future] is not a bad thing. I feel like there's a lot to learn at this team. There's a lot to still achieve," he maintained.

Bearman’s patience comes as Haas continues to go through a challenging period.

Despite regularly having the upper hand over experienced team-mate Esteban Ocon, the team has struggled to deliver a competitive package in 2026, limiting Bearman’s opportunities to showcase his potential.

Bearman determined to rebuild with Haas

Rather than looking beyond his current surroundings, the young Briton is determined to help Haas rediscover the form it showed during his breakthrough moments.

"I really want to get back to those highs which we tasted in Mexico and other events. I feel like they're on a good trajectory, this team, and I'm really happy to be on the journey with it,” he said.

"It's a tough moment right now and it's a really challenging one, and one that builds character, I would say, but I don't want to be defined as the team who had a really good first year with me, but then we really struggled to achieve that performance again.

"So, hopefully we can get a bit more performance and score some good points again," Bearman concluded.

For now, Bearman’s Ferrari dream remains alive – but the youngster appears content to let Hamilton continue writing his own chapter in red while he focuses on proving that his unquestionable talent eventually deserves a seat with the House of Maranello.

• Read also: Bearman admits losing ‘all level of confidence’ in Haas’ car

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