Interview
‘I’m expected to have better results’ – Bearman on the pressure of joining ‘super successful’ PREMA Racing
Having joined the most statistically successful team on the Formula 3 grid, Ollie Bearman accepts that the pressure will be on him to perform quicker than if he’d have signed for any other outfit, but the Ferrari junior is confident that he can handle it.
As PREMA Racing’s sole rookie in 2022, Bearman will be contending with second-years Arthur Leclerc and Jak Crawford at the Italian team, who are looking to win their fourth successive Drivers’ title.
“They are a super successful team, especially in F3,” said Bearman. “It shows in everything that they do because there is a lot of hard work and professionalism. It’s no wonder that they have been at such a high level in this Championship.
“It is good to be able to step straight into PREMA. The pressure will be on a bit more because I’m expected to have better results, but I think I am capable of doing that, so I’m looking forward to it.”
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Joining up as the first driver to win ADAC and Italian Formula 4 in the same season, Bearman’s no stranger to success, but given the step up in power between the categories, he’s not expecting a quick transition.
Still only 16-years-old, Bearman will be entering his third season of single-seater racing, having competed in Italian and ADAC F4 in both 2020 and 2021. The Briton’s only other car racing experience came in nine races of GB3 and a six-race stint in Formula Regional Asia.
“The car is a lot faster than what I have driven in the past,” he explained. “It is a big step-up from the F4 cars. The F3 car has a lot of downforce and a lot of power – it’s really fun to drive.
“When I first jumped in the car, the power was more than I imagined, but honestly, it was tough to imagine a car that was this fast. When you first drive a new car, it takes a while to get used to it and to focus on driving it fast.
“At the start, I was just amazed by how fast it was, but after a couple of laps, it became normal to me, and I was able to start building up the speed. The car is mega.
“For the first half of the season, I will just have to take it as it comes. At the moment, I don't have any expectations, I just want to progress all of the time.”