Oliver Bearman says Oscar Piastri showed that preparation is key ahead of joining the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, and he will need to do everything he can to be ready for when it is his time to join the grid.
Bearman was a multiple race winner in his rookie FIA Formula 2 season in 2023 with Prema Racing and was handed his first two free practice outings in Formula 1 machinery towards the end of the year with the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi.
The young Briton is also a member of the fable Ferrari Driver Academy, but it was the preparation done by current McLaren F1 Team driver Piastri that opened up Bearman’s eyes, and he knows that he will need to do everything he can in order to be ready.
Piastri completed lots of laps in a two-year-old BWT Alpine F1 Team car whilst he was part of their team as reserve driver, and Bearman knows that he would need to maximise his time behind the wheel of a car on track.
“He showed that preparation is really important,” Bearman is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com. “Once you join F1 you’re going up against guys with a lot of races under their belt.
“Coming as a rookie is a difficult job, so it’s something that we’ve thought about and it will be really important that before I start an F1 campaign, I need to be really prepared.
“Hopefully that looks like more FP1s and maybe some private testing as well. I don’t have any say on that. But in an ideal world that would be how I approach an F1 season.”
For young drivers, the 2022 Formula 1 machinery will be available to test for the first time in 2024, meaning the likes of Bearman can test the ground effect cars in private tests, something he will hopefully be able to do at times next season.
“I’ve tested the 2021 car,” Bearman said of his test with Scuderia Ferrari prior to his free practice debut with Haas. “It’s still an F1 car, I think it’s even a little bit faster than the current generation.
“But the fact that from next year you can use the 2022 cars will be really helpful, because it’s the same generation of car and not much has changed since then. So, that’s good to know and hopefully we can make use of that as well.
“I know I’d be ready to go, I know I have what it takes. Of course, preparation will be important. First of all, I have to do a good enough job to make that step one.
“But I have no doubt that if I get a call-up, I’m ready to go.”
