Oliver Bearman got the chance to show himself in a Ferrari in Saudi Arabia. The 18-year-old driver finished seventh. Much praise came for how the young Briton had performed in his first race. Eddie Jordan was also hugely impressed with Bearman, he told the Formula For Success podcast.
The Brit normally competes in Formula 2. Here, he drives for Prema with his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli. On Thursday, Bearman even took pole position during Formula 2 qualifying in Saudi Arabia. However, he was required in Formula 1 and had to forfeit his F2 pole.
Jordan: 'Bearman is a megastar in the making'
Analysts and Formula 1 fans have commented positively on Bearman's performance. Jordan is also impressed: "At 18 years of age, also when you heard him speak, the way he's been brought up and educated, Britain should be very proud. This is an absolute megastar in the making."
Jordan continued: "There's actually maybe six or eight of these around. Just the young drivers in my opinion, that aren't getting the chance, and I'm sure that Carlos is sitting up in his bed, hopefully recovering at a very quick rate, and he's saying to himself 'my god I better get my seat sorted for 25 because there's lots of very good young kids who can stand in'."
Bearman trailed the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris in the race. Jordan believes that is a remarkable achievement: "Sure, the Ferrari has improved over the last couple of years, in my opinion, he's got a good car to go into, but it's remarkable. I just hope we see him again. I really hope that we can give these kids a chance and if it means making it 12 teams in the future...make it 12 teams."
Bearman's performance proofs that the bottom few underperforming drivers should get the hell out of the sport and allow far more talented and promising young talents from F2 to come in instead of hogging the seats.
The same goes for the teams as well. If they are not willing to spend the $$ required to upgrade their facilities or to hire the required manpower in order to imporve themselves and be forever a back marker team, then they should sell to another group who has more resources and determination to be a more front running team.
Yes, it's not so much the case that F1 needs more teams. It more a case of: F1 needs more competitive teams. Haas, Williams, Vcarb simply don't have the funding to succeed, and it's been like that for years now, and likely will continue for years.
The solution would be to force these teams to be more competitive. For example by cutting their share of the prize money if they perform near the bottom for 3 years in a row. So if you always bring up the rear, you get zero prize money. That would force an owner like Gene Haas to revise his business model, and hopefully force him to sell.
I have suggestions
We can make it like football
F1 = premier league
F2 = second league
Bottom three teams with points down to f2
And top 3 f2 go to F1
That's fair
Logistically impossible. They just need to approve Andretti. Total crime that they didn't. F1 makes more than enough money to support an additional team.
The fans want it but the greedy teams are against it. Yes, it would be great to have new young faces on the grid and an additional team.
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