Oliver Bearman beat Lewis Hamilton and secured points in his first-ever Formula One race with a seventh place finish.
The 18-year-old, who currently competes in Formula Two, was representing Ferrari in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in place of Carlos Sainz who missed the race due to undergoing surgery for appendicitis.
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Bearman put in an impressive showing alongside Charles Leclerc at FerrariCredit: Getty
Born in Chelsmsford, Essex, Bearman became the youngest British driver ever to race in a Formula One Grand Prix and the third-youngest driver ever in F1, but he wasn’t just there to make up the numbers.
Starting the race in P11, Bearman narrowly missed out on reaching Q3 on Friday but showed no fear as he looked to push his way into the top ten on lap one as he put Yuki Tsunoda under pressure.
The race was then put on its head when Lance Stroll crashed into the wall, leading to a safety car being deployed and almost all competing drivers heading for the pits for an early tire change.
Switching to hard-compound tires, Bearman was able to last the rest of the race and secure a P7 finish.
Named driver of the day, the teenager was clearly buzzing after the race as he said over the team’s radio: “The car was mega today. I really enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun out there.
“Thank you Fred and everyone for the opportunity!”
Bearman beat both fellow Brits Lando Norris and Hamilton, who finished the race in eighth and ninth respectively.
Further up the leaderboard, it was a victory for Max Verstappen who secured his 100th podium in Formula One, while Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc finished second and third.
It’s the second time in two races that Red Bull have secured a one-two finish already this season, with early signs suggesting that they’re set to dominate.
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Bearman was locked in a battle with Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris late on, but held firm to seventh spotCredit: Getty
Leclerc was asked about his new rookie teammate after the race, and insisted it won’t be long until he is promoted to F1 full-time.
“He completely deserves it,” said the Monegasque star.
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“He’s done a great job, even in qualifying he was in great pace. It’s incredible, his first race in F1, and in a new car, its hugely impressive.
“Everybody has noticed how talented he is and I think it’s just a matter of time before he joins us in Formula 1.”
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