Oliver Bearman reflects on Formula 2 pressure and eyes F1 future
- Planet Sport writer
- 15 August 2024
Oliver Bearman has acknowledged that the media attention surrounding him and his Prema teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, was a double-edged sword as they navigate a challenging Formula 2 season.
While Bearman has already secured his place on the 2025 Formula 1 grid with Haas, Antonelli's future remains uncertain, with speculation linking him to a Mercedes seat as Lewis Hamilton's successor, following Hamilton's expected move to Ferrari at the end of 2024.
Bearman has admitted that the spotlight has been intense for both drivers, but he believed Antonelli faces even greater pressure.
Reflecting on their season, Bearman said, "It is a similar problem that we have. Both Kimi and I, probably even Kimi more so than me, are spoken about in the media, especially because the results we're getting are not quite where we were expecting to be."
Despite the constant scrutiny, Bearman has remained philosophical, describing the media attention as "a blessing and a curse."
He recognised that it was part of the sport and stressed the importance of focusing on the positives. "It doesn't make it easy, but that is part of life. The media is always going to do that.
"It is about picking my battles correctly, trying to maximise what you have, because that is what it is all about in the end," Bearman explained.
With Prema struggling to deliver consistent results in F2, Bearman sees the situation as an opportunity for growth. He highlighted the importance of managing expectations and extracting the best possible result from any given race.
"If you have a car to finish P5, then you have to finish P5 and not finish seventh or eighth trying to go for more," Bearman emphasised. "That is the mindset that I am working on."
Looking ahead to his Formula 1 debut, Bearman has remained optimistic about his potential to fight for podium finishes, believing that Prema only needed a small step forward to achieve success.
He expressed his commitment to improving his performance, particularly through time spent on the simulator. "I'm going to be spending a lot of time on the simulator for my own benefit but also the team's [ahead of 2025]. A lot of the circuits will be new for me, so I want to make the transition as seamless as possible," he stated.
