Formula 1 risk in Baku? Oliver Bearman wants to avoid a repeat of the Antonelli crash

Oliver Bearman is about to make his second Formula 1 appearance in Baku due to Kevin Magnussen's suspension, and this time he is much better prepared than for his spontaneous debut in Saudi Arabia. Instead of just a few hours, the Briton now had two weeks to prepare for the Grand Prix. Unlike last time, when he was thrown in at the deep end on Saturday, he is allowed to compete in a full Formula 1 weekend, including training. It has also been clear for two months that Bearman will be a regular driver for Haas next year. His training is therefore already fully geared towards the premier class. These conditions help.

“I'm just continuing my training process and making sure I'm as prepared as possible,” Bearman said on Thursday before the Azerbaijan GP. He is noticeably more relaxed and confident than at his debut earlier this year. The Ferrari junior is delighted about the new opportunity: “It's a huge help that I know in advance that I'm going to drive a Formula 1 race this time. The fact that I'll be driving FP1 and FP2 will help me to build up the weekend step by step. I'll have enough time and won't have to take any risks.

Baku Challenge: Bearman comes with a confidence boost

Once again, Ollie Bearman is replacing one of the regular Formula 1 drivers, and once again the track is a street circuit. There are certainly easier tracks than the Baku City Circuit for a newcomer to prove himself in the premier class. “It's definitely a difficult track. It's my second race in Formula 1 and my second street race. If I could have chosen two races, it probably wouldn't have been this one,” said the 19-year-old.

The course is not unfamiliar territory for him, however. Last year, the Prema driver was able to gain a lot of confidence in Formula 2 with an extremely successful Baku weekend, when he won both the sprint and main races. Despite this confidence boost, Bearman said: “From a perspective, it was a very clean weekend. In fact, I touched the wall on the outside in every single session. I will try to reduce that. I just hope for a smooth weekend.”

Bearman already has a supporter in Nico Hülkenberg, his Haas team-mate this weekend. “He knows the car. He's driven it a few times. I think his pace will soon be on par. Street circuits suit him. He'll find his feet quickly,” said the German confidently.

Courage to take risks? Bearman: In Formula 1 it’s a question of trust

Although Formula 2 is the immediate precursor to Formula 1, Bearman stressed that the jump to the premier class is enormous. “Nothing can really prepare you for Formula 1,” the young driver clarified. The biggest change is the driving style, which is completely different in Formula 1 due to the higher downforce level: “You can do so much more. You can play a bit more with the limit. And it's more a question of confidence whether you get the lap time or not,” Bearman described the difference.

The Briton said that it was difficult to build up that confidence on the street circuit in Azerbaijan because of the tight corners and close walls. He explained: “If you don't have confidence in the brakes, it's difficult to be fast. But to gain confidence in the brakes, you have to take some risks.”

Full risk from the first lap? No. Bearman is holding back and does not want to follow the example of his Prema colleague Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who made headlines last Formula 1 weekend in Monza with an over-motivated crash in the first practice session. “I will leave a little more of a safety margin – especially in the first practice sessions. I really have to have confidence in the car and myself before I start pushing and finding the limit,” promised Bearman.

Bearman's plan is to “improve step by step”. “In F2, you have to focus directly on the pace and take a lot of risks with just one practice session. We have three of them this weekend. It's about building the whole thing up.” He will convince in Baku and is full of anticipation: “It's another great opportunity to show how I've improved.”

It could be difficult for Ollie Bearman to go one better in the Haas. At his debut, which he was able to make with a top car, he already enchanted the Formula 1 world with a convincing performance in the Ferrari. In this video, the Ferrari junior shares a personal insight into his path to the premier class and his first Formula 1 experience directly after his debut: