Ferrari handed 'obvious candidate' verdict for Lewis Hamilton replacement

Former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes Oliver Bearman is the "obvious candidate" for Ferrari should Lewis Hamilton retire this year.

Bearman joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2021 and has emerged as its clear star of the future. Despite having already gained F1 experience with both Ferrari and Haas, the 20-year-old enjoyed a strong maiden campaign last season.

It began poorly, with a heavy crash in first practice ahead of the season-opening Australian GP, followed by several further mistakes across the first half of the year.

However, he turned a staggering corner mid-season, becoming a regular presence in Q3 and in the points.

Bearman scored in seven of the final nine rounds, with his best result a remarkable fourth place in Mexico City, where he battled the likes of Max Verstappen.

The one notable negative from 2025 was his accumulation of penalty points, leaving him to start the new season just two points short of a race ban.

Even so, his speed and progression were unquestionable, convincing Steiner that Bearman could be in line for a Ferrari seat in 2027 should Hamilton retire at the end of this year.

"[At the start of 2025 he was] fast, but making mistakes," Steiner said on the Red Flags podcast. "But in the second half of the season, he got rid of them, just like a switch.

"Because in the first half of the season, I thought he was taking too much risk with the car he had, and therefore had a few offs. It wasn’t good. He got a lot of penalty points, and he still kept collecting them in the second half of the season.

"But it’s just like he didn’t make mistakes anymore, even in the races. He was fighting hard, and we all know he can overtake. I think, for him, the door should be open at Ferrari for ’27 because if Lewis hasn’t got the success he needs, I don’t think he continues.

"And then [Bearman] is the obvious candidate there for Ferrari — a guy who is well prepared for F1 and is performing. And also, he’s good with everything else around him."