Lewis Hamilton ‘very excited’ as rising Ferrari star catches the eye

Lewis Hamilton is enjoying seeing the progress of Ferrari-backed F1 rookie Oliver Bearman, and is “very excited” to see what the future holds for his fellow Brit.

Bearman turned heads with a stunning drive to fourth in Mexico, and is increasingly becoming regarded as a Ferrari F1 driver of the future, at a time where current Ferrari drivers, Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, have been told by Ferrari president John Elkann to “focus on driving, talk less” after a Brazil double DNF.

Lewis Hamilton: Oliver Bearman doing ‘a great job’

After three stand-in appearances across Ferrari and Haas, Bearman stepped up to the grid full-time for F1 2025 with Haas. The results have been impressive. Bearman has amassed 40 points thus far across the season, 10 more than experienced teammate Esteban Ocon.

Bearman delivered a breakthrough performance in Mexico where he drove to fourth. Only the one-stop heroics of Max Verstappen denied Bearman and Haas a first F1 podium.

Hamilton had nothing but praise for Bearman as he spoke about the Ferrari-backed driver with reporters in Brazil.

Bearman could yet emerge as Hamilton’s future Ferrari replacement, with the seven-time World Champion having struggled since making his blockbuster move from Mercedes.

“I think it was amazing,” Hamilton said of Bearman’s race in Mexico. “I was so happy for him.

“But also, you know, [since] his first race, just the progress he’s been making. A really nice lad, and a great approach, very approachable, and I think he did a phenomenal job there.

“That car, I think they’ve been doing a great job over the course of the year. They’ve obviously developed well as well. But very excited to see his future.”

Oliver Bearman and Lewis Hamilton key F1 2025 stats

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

Bearman is on a streak of four consecutive top 10 finishes, and after crossing the line P6 at Interlagos, he was asked about his impeccable form in the second half of the season. It was suggested to him that Baku was the only low point, where he recovered to twelfth after crashing out in the second part of qualifying.

“I wouldn’t even say Baku was a low point,” Bearman responded to the media in Brazil. “I mean, I did a mistake in a quali where half of the grid crashed out.

“So if it was just me, it’s a low point. If it was half the grid, it’s one of those things, and you have to take it on the chin.

“It’s been a series of really, really strong races, and momentum is a powerful thing in this sport, so I’ll try and keep it up.”

Haas introduced a substantial upgrade package for the VF-25 at the United States Grand Prix, which Bearman said “gives us a tenth or two”, and that “is enough” to make an impact in Formula 1’s ultra-tight midfield battle.

“I think it’s also the drivability of the car, which increased a hell of a lot,” Bearman added. “So I’m really proud of the guys designing the car, bringing that upgrade, because it’s clearly bearing fruits.

“We’ve been on a run since Singapore, scoring points every race. There’s not exactly a type of track that suited us or not suited us. We’ve been strong in every single one, which is a really nice feeling.”

However, the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix is giving Bearman some concerns.

“Vegas, I think will be a bit of a challenge, because I don’t expect to be very fast in the straights,” he reasoned.

“But apart from that, I’m really excited for the rest of the year. I think these last four races have shown that we have every right to be looking forward to the last three.”

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