Future F1 Star? Bearman's Haas Seat Urged by Marko
Mar.12 - Dr Helmut Marko has urged Ferrari to place impressive rookie Oliver Bearman with the affiliated Haas team for 2025.
Frederic Vasseur, the team boss at Ferrari, admitted after the 18-year-old driver's race to seventh place in the ill Carlos Sainz's cockpit in Saudi Arabia that a full-time debut for Bearman at Haas next year is a "possibility".
Marko, Red Bull's notorious F1 consultant, called Bearman's performance last weekend "sensational".
"To be on a track like Jeddah like that without much practice was really powerful," the 80-year-old told Speed Week. "At times he drove almost at the same level as Charles Leclerc.
"But what is Ferrari doing? They are buying the expensive (Lewis) Hamilton, Leclerc has a long-term contract, and now Bearman is showing off a super talent.
"If I were Fred Vasseur, I would immediately find Bearman a cockpit in another team - I don't know, at Haas for example," Marko said.
Haas is not only powered by customer Ferrari engines, the small American team buys multiple components from the Italian team and even has a technical base on the grounds at Maranello.
Marko admitted Ferrari may need to pay Haas for the privilege of accommodating Bearman. "The teams are currently relatively financially saturated, so they will make them (Ferrari) pay dearly for it."
Indeed, whilst admitting Bearman also impressed him at Jeddah, new Haas boss Ayao Komatsu is not yet ready to commit to opening up a cockpit for the young Briton.
"He deserves a chance next year," said the Japanese. "But apart from the penalty, Kevin (Magnussen) showed a fantastic performance (in Saudi Arabia). Nico (Hulkenberg) also delivered.
"So how can I sit here and say that he (Bearman) is our driver for next year? Based on (Saturday's) performance, it is Nico and Kevin."
However, Haas is scheduled to run Bearman in no fewer than six initial practice sessions in 2024, with Komatsu saying his two outings for the team in Mexico and Abu Dhabi last year showed that he is "something special".
Therefore, he admits Bearman is a candidate to debut full-time in 2025.
"Absolutely yes. It was already clear to us last year that he has the total package," said the Japanese. "He is definitely on our radar and I am very happy for him."
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher thinks it's critical that new, young drivers like Bearman are given a chance once again, given that not a single full-time rookie is on the grid this year - the first time in history.
"The sponsors, the investors, the fathers will eventually no longer believe that the young ones will get anywhere, even if they support them," he told Sky Deutschland.
"We're talking about big sums of money that have to come back to them somehow. At some point, no one will be interested in it anymore. And I think that's dangerous."
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Far from a foregone conclusion & most critically, I'm skeptical Gene would suddenly change his mind about having a rookie again after what happened with Mick, which is why he's been keen on only having experienced drivers.
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