Haas driver Ollie Bearman has revealed that Lewis Hamilton was among the first people to contact him after his surprise Formula 1 debut with Ferrari at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, praising the seven-time world champion’s support for younger drivers.
Bearman, now in his second full F1 season, made his debut in extraordinary circumstances when he replaced Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Jeddah after the Spaniard was taken ill with appendicitis. The then-18-year-old qualified 11th and finished seventh on debut. According to Motorsport.com, Hamilton reached out almost immediately after the race.
Hamilton’s Early Support
Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, Bearman detailed the Ferrari driver’s gesture. “Well it’s really cool because Lewis was actually one of the first people in Jeddah to text me, to come up to me after the race, and show his character and his genuine trait,” Bearman said.
The 20-year-old British driver emphasized the significance of receiving encouragement from someone at Hamilton’s level. “Obviously, we’re at two very different stages of our careers. I’m starting out and really hungry and wanting to achieve as much as I possibly can. Lewis has achieved so much, and I still think he’s incredibly hungry, having missed out obviously in that title, but I mean the most successful driver in the history of F1.”
Bearman continued: “It’s first of all really cool to share the grid with him, to see him performing at such a high level at his age, is a really motivating thing as well. To see his hunger and the fact that he comes back year after year, and I think everyone can agree he’s in the top five, top three drivers.”
Character Beyond Statistics
Beyond Hamilton’s on-track achievements, Bearman highlighted the personal qualities that set the Ferrari driver apart. “It’s really, really special and the support and love that he gives to the younger generation also shows his character as well,” he said.
The contrast between the two drivers’ career stages makes Hamilton’s outreach more meaningful. Bearman entered F1 as a teenage substitute thrust into one of motorsport’s most pressurized environments. Hamilton, now 41 and in his second season with Ferrari after leaving Mercedes, has won 105 grands prix and seven world championships across an 18-year career.
Bearman’s Rise Through the Field
After his Ferrari cameo, Bearman secured a full-time seat with Haas for 2025. His rookie season saw him outperform experienced team-mate Esteban Ocon, and that form has carried into 2026. Through the first three rounds of the current season, Bearman sits seventh in the drivers’ standings with 17 points. Ocon, by comparison, occupies 15th place with one point.
The performance gap between the Haas drivers has been stark. Bearman’s consistency and pace have validated both his emergency debut and Haas’s decision to promote him ahead of other candidates. His points tally after three races already suggests a strong foundation for the remainder of the season.
The relationship between Hamilton and Bearman offers a snapshot of F1’s generational dynamic. While Bearman builds his career at Haas, Hamilton continues competing at the front with Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc. The two will next face each other at the fourth round of the 2026 championship.