Dr. Helmut Marko, the influential Formula 1 advisor at Red Bull, has decisively stated that Oliver Bearman, the promising newcomer, will not be given a place in Red Bull’s junior F1 squad, RB. Bearman’s notable performance substituting for the unwell Carlos Sainz in a Ferrari at the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix caught Marko’s attention, prompting him to suggest that Ferrari should secure a permanent F1 seat for Bearman elsewhere.
In a conversation with Speed Week, Marko expressed his views on Bearman’s future, stating, “If I were Fred Vasseur, I would immediately find Bearman a cockpit in another team – I don’t know, at Haas for example.”
Elaborating further in an interview with the Austrian newspaper Osterreich late this week, Marko reflected on Ferrari’s current lineup, mentioning the big-money acquisition of Lewis Hamilton and the long-term commitment to Charles Leclerc. He reiterated his advice for Bearman’s career path, emphasizing, “I’d put the boy in a smaller team like Haas next year,” and noted, “A year of learning never hurt anyone and will also take the pressure off him.”
Despite the positive impression Bearman has made, Marko clarified that Red Bull’s junior team will not be his next step. He disclosed that Red Bull had an “informative conversation” with Bearman but found his ties to the Ferrari academy a deal-breaker. Marko concluded, “It is inconceivable that we would train him up for Ferrari.”
GMM
