Oliver Bearman Reveals Kimi Antonelli Hopes Ahead Of F1 Rookie Season

Oliver Bearman, who will make his official debut in Formula 1 next year with Haas, mentioned that he hopes to race his deserving teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli F1 and looks forward to the prospect of competing in a world championship battle in the future.

Oliver Bearman / Ferrari Press Image

F2 driver Oliver Bearman, who will make his official debut in Formula 1 next year with Haas, mentioned that he hopes to race his deserving teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the premier class and looks forward to the prospect of competing in a world championship battle with Antonelli in the future.

It was recently confirmed that Bearman will join Haas as a full-time F1 driver for the 2025 season. His impressive performances throughout his junior career, coupled with a reserve driver role for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia earlier this season, have earned him this opportunity.

Bearman’s Prema teammate Antonelli has emerged as Mercedes's top candidate for 2025, thanks to his impressive progress this season. In light of the current F1 driver market, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has indicated that Antonelli represents a calculated risk for the team’s future, especially if Red Bull's Max Verstappen remains uninterested in joining the Brackley outfit.

The to-be Haas F1 driver opened up about his racing journey with Antonelli and why he hopes to race with him in F1. As reported by Formula1.com, he told Sky Sports F1:

“We’ve always been following each other and stepping up around the same time. I’ve known Kimi for a long time, we raced each other a little bit in F4, a lot on the simulator, now we’re teammates in F2.

“I hope for him that he will be in F1 as well because he deserves it. One day I hope to fight for a world championship with him because I think that’s the trajectory that we’re both aiming for.”

Bearman's ultimate goal is to race for Ferrari in Formula 1. The 19-year-old British driver is extremely passionate about the Maranello-based squad, and it is his dream to win championships for them in the future. He added:

“I think Ferrari is one of the most iconic brands in the world, of course within racing and F1.

“If you draw a car, it’s red. It’s a brand that’s synonymous with racing, with victory, with success and with fantastic drivers as well.

“First of all, to have made my debut with Ferrari, that hasn’t happened for a very long time, and the fact that I became the youngest Ferrari driver was something very special for me.

“Of course, I want to win world championships, and to do that with Ferrari is my dream. They’ve been supporting me since 2021. They’ve seen something from me early on. They decided to trust in me, and even just to put me behind the wheel in Jeddah was a big risk from Ferrari’s side.

“That shows that they believe in me, that they trust in my capability, and of course one day I would love to win a championship, especially with Ferrari.”