'Wouldn’t be surprised': Rookie tipped as Hamilton’s Ferrari 'heir'
James Hinchcliffe wouldn’t be surprised to see Oliver Bearman as Lewis Hamilton’s heir to his Ferrari seat.
"It would surprise no one if Bearman was heir apparent to the seat Hamilton currently occupies when the seven-time champion decades to call it a day"- James Hinchcliffe
Bearman achieved a career-best result at the Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing fourth — matching Haas' best-ever result in Formula 1 as well.
According to F1 TV analyst and former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe, it would be logical to see the young Briton replace Hamilton at some point in the future. Bearman already made his Ferrari debut in 2024, replacing Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Canadian wrote: "Given he came up through the Ferrari academy, made his (rather successful) debut for the team last year, coupled with the growth and performance he is showing week in and week out, it would surprise no one if Bearman was heir apparent to the seat Hamilton currently occupies when the seven-time champion decides to call it a day on his Formula 1 endeavours."
"Needless to say, whether it’s with the Scuderia or not, Bearman’s performances are making it seem like he will be a staple of the grid for years to come."
Hinchcliffe has high praise for the rookie
According to the analyst, the Haas rookie is now making a strong case to be named Rookie of the Year. Hinchcliffe also praised the Briton for outqualifying his experienced teammate Esteban Ocon 12–8 so far this season.
Hinchcliffe continued: "When he qualifies strong, he stays there and delivers the points. If he has a rough Saturday, he’s hauling the car up to where it belongs on Sunday.
"Even the point-less run he went on mid-season isn’t the indictment it sounds like, since he had four 11th-place finishes in that time.
"Save for a few rookie mistakes early in the year, Bearman is showing himself to be a well rounded Grand Prix driver."
Bearman is now in fine form, having reached Q3 in the last three Grands Prix. Since Singapore, the rookie has scored 16 points, helping Haas climb back into the fight for sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Vasseur also praises Bearman
Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur was also satisfied with Bearman's performance.
He said after the race: "At one stage, I was thinking about a podium for him. He did very well. But if you have a look from the beginning of the season, he's doing well.”
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