‘It’s really a different ball game’ – Bearman targets ‘clean’ weekend ahead of Haas debut in Baku

F2's Ollie Bearman has become the super-sub of the season as he prepares to compete in a Grand Prix for the second time in 2024, promising that he will “not take any risks” as he replaces the banned Kevin Magnussen in Baku.

The Briton previously drove for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix whilst Carlos Sainz underwent surgery, crossing the line in P7 before he went on to sign a contract for 2025 and beyond with Haas.

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He has been called up sooner than expected after Magnussen amassed the maximum of 12 penalty points last time out in Monza, resulting in a one-race ban. Bearman will take his place for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and gets an early chance to work with the team he will be driving full-time for next season.

“It’s nice to be back, first of all,” he said during the press conference in Baku. “Of course not the circumstances I would’ve hoped, but nonetheless it’s a good opportunity to build up my experience, get a full weekend under my belt with some notice this time. I’ve known it was coming, which is helpful. I just want to use it to really build up step by step and enjoy it as well.

“Knowing I’m going to do FP1 and FP2 is going to help me a lot just to build it up. It’s another street track, I’ll have time to build it up and not take any risks. Of course I’ve been training hard, but I’ve been doing that anyway because I’m racing next year.”

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Baku is notorious for being one of the trickiest street circuits on the calendar with its unforgiving 90 degree corners and long straights, but Bearman has found previous success at the track.

The 19-year-old claimed pole position before taking victory in both the Sprint Race and Feature Race last year, marking his maiden wins in Formula 2.

He added: “Last year went pretty well. I was excited to come here in F2 and of course to make the step to F1 this weekend is a great experience, really looking forward to it.

“I got a lot of confidence at this track last year. From the outside, it was a very clean weekend. On the inside, I hit the wall every single session so I’ll be trying to tone that down a little bit and just have a clean weekend and enjoy it as well.

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“I did touch the wall quite a few times last year, most notably in qualifying where I bent the suspension, which wasn’t my finest moment. I somehow managed to do the pole but I don’t think I’ll get away with that this year in F1 so I’m going to leave a bit more safety margins, especially in the first sessions. I think the main goal is to build up the confidence and really be confident in the car and myself before I start to push and find the limits.

“[F2 is] the closest category to F1 but I think nothing can really prepare you for F1. Just the amount of investment and time that goes into producing an F1 car – it’s really a different ball game than driving the F2.”

Bearman’s Haas debut comes after Magnussen, who has driven for the team since 2017 with a brief sabbatical in 2021, clashed with Pierre Gasly at the Italian Grand Prix and received two penalty points.

Whilst the Dane has no confirmed seat on the grid next season, his 19-year-old replacement is targeting this weekend as an opportunity to prepare for 2025 whilst being aware that it could be a difficult Grand Prix.

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“It’s definitely a tough track," he continued. "It’s my second race in F1 and this is my second street track that I’m racing, so it’s been a bit of a tough draw. If I could’ve picked two races it probably wouldn’t have been these ones, but then again I had success here last year, it went well.

“It has been a while that Kevin’s been close to a race ban, so I knew it was a potential possibility to jump in the car at any point. If I could’ve chosen, it would be one that doesn’t clash with F2 but you don’t choose when to jump into F1, and every opportunity is one that you take. I’ve been really preparing for next year and part of that means that I’m ready also now. It’s another great opportunity to show how I’ve improved and what I can do.”