Oliver Bearman has highlighted he is avoiding being drawn into the “unhealthy” speculation around his future on the Formula 1 grid. The 19-year-old is being heavily linked with a full-time drive at the Haas F1 team next year. Bearman starred on his race debut with Ferrari earlier this season in Jeddah before jumping behind the Haas seat in Imola for a free practice outing. He will receive another FP1 outing in Spain this weekend as he continues to rack up his experience in F1 machinery. Amid reports that he has already signed to a permanent seat for 2025, Bearman denied that it is the case. “These are all rumours and speculation,” he stated. “There's not really any backing to them. “I try to just stay focused on what I can do [when] driving the car and in the end, I try and stay away from this speculation because it's unhealthy. “My goal is, as a driver, to keep performing well. I think my FP1 in Imola went really well and I was happy with that. “So I want to keep doing that. In terms of a timeframe, I don't have anything defined.”
Bearman notes rise in F1 popularity
Bearman's F1 debut in Saudi Arabia came after Ferrari's Carlos Sainz dropped out after being diagnosed with appendicitis. He starred to seventh at the chequered flag, and noted it immediately vaulted his how he was received by fans. “I think it [his profile] has grown exponentially since Jeddah,” he said. “That was quite a big step in terms of people knowing me. “I remember when I arrived in Australia, there were a lot of people who suddenly recognised me, which is a great feeling, honestly. “Right now I'm not in F1, but in terms of popularity and fans and stuff, I'm almost there. “So it's really nice to have the support from everyone.”
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