Racing
© Liauzh
Ollie Bearman says Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari resurgence has made his own path to Maranello harder, with the Haas driver admitting the seven-time world champion’s return to form is “not ideal” for his future and warning he will not wait years for a seat if a title chance opens elsewhere.
Speaking on the latest episode of Beyond the Grid, Bearman said Hamilton’s first Ferrari win in Barcelona left him with mixed emotions. “It’s really cool to see him at this level,” Bearman said. “Seeing Ferrari winning with the best British driver, the best driver we’ve ever seen in F1, is something really special. Of course, in terms of my future, that’s not ideal. But I’m still young. I’m only 21 years old. I’m not in a huge rush.”
That change in outlook has come quickly. After Hamilton’s difficult 2025 season, Bearman had been discussed as a possible long-term Ferrari option as early as 2027 if the veteran’s struggles continued. Instead, Hamilton has revived his Ferrari career in 2026, winning in Barcelona and reaching the summer break second in the championship, 50 points behind leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Alongside Charles Leclerc, he now forms a Ferrari line-up with no obvious short-term opening.
Bearman made clear that has not changed his ambition. “My goal remains to be a Ferrari driver one day,” he said. But he also set a limit on how long he is prepared to wait: “I don’t want to be sitting around for three, four, five years waiting for a seat to become available because there’s no guarantees, and then you can be wasting your best years.”
That leaves Ferrari as Bearman’s preferred destination, but not his only acceptable route. He said his priority is ultimately to fight for championships rather than stay tied to one pathway at any cost.
“My ultimate goal is maybe a bit selfish, but that’s okay because that’s the reason I’m here,” Bearman said. “I want to be fighting for World Championships; therefore if I were to have that opportunity anywhere, I’d take it.”