Then and Now: Oliver Bearman on his growth from Formula 3 to Formula 2

Oliver Bearman’s time in the junior formulas has come to an end with the Briton set to make the step up to Formula 1 in 2025, driving for the Haas F1 team.

Before he does, he sat down to reflect on the three years he spent as a member of the Formula 3 and Formula 2 paddocks and just how much he has grown as a person and a driver in that time.

“I came into F3, fresh out of F4, 16-years-old, pretty immature, and probably a bit naive as well. These last few years have taught me a lot about not only driving but also myself, how I react under different situations and different circumstances.

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“It's been a great journey with my team PREMA, I've been with them since I've joined F3. It's been a great partnership, ultimately not as successful as we would have hoped but still, I think the goal was achieved and the goal of course was to get to F1. They really helped to transform me from a kid into an adult but also into a much more complete driver as well.

“I think first of all I think my speed has always been there, I would call myself a pretty quick driver, that's always been something that came pretty naturally.

“But stringing it together often was something that was more difficult for me and I struggled to keep that up on consecutive weekends and consecutive sessions. So, I would also have great sessions but I could never really string a full weekend together until the end of the season in F3.

“But I think my knowledge of the racing car, my experience of driving the car has improved so vastly that I am able to be a lot more consistent now.

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“Joining F3, I really had zero technical knowledge about a race car, so this is something both Ferrari and PREMA, both really helped me with, to become more knowledgeable about the vehicle dynamics and how everything works.

“This made me a bit more vocal to be able ask for exactly what I wanted from a car and get that on a more regular basis and this also helps me as a whole to put together more consistent performances.

“F2 was really difficult, the weekend is much more difficult and more hands on. You have the different tyre compounds, you have pit stops, you have a lot of new factors in F2 but I feel like we got up to speed really quickly in F2.

“My second weekend I was on the front row in Jeddah, and from the very beginning there were really strong performances but it was again consistency. My good performances were very good and stood out but my bad ones were very bad and stood out, on the other end of the scale.

“The performance last year came a bit more easily than it has done this year, but I think I have been able to narrow the gap between a good and bad day this year. I am certainly a more complete driver this year and of course the best version of myself which is natural given I have more experience and more knowledge.

“The results have not been able to match that for a number of reasons but I just have not felt as comfortable and as at home this year compared to last year in F2, and I think that's a big factor as to why I haven't always been able to fight for victories this year.

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“F2 and F3 enabled me to step into F1, so I will be forever thankful to have had the platform to show what I am capable of and to show that I have what it takes to make the step to F1, because without these Championships I wouldn't be where I am today.

“I will always be a little bit sad that I wasn't able to win any Championships in F2 and F3. We came close but not quite enough, but at the end of the day it didn't change the end result, which is getting to F1.

“So, now I have to prove myself in F1, prove that I deserve to belong in F1. But for now, I will just say thank you to everyone at F2 and F3, for giving me the opportunity and having such a great Championship.”