Oliver Bearman has responded to Kevin Magnussen’s recent comments, asserting his independence and readiness for a potential F1 seat with Haas.
The 19-year-old has been speculated as a candidate to replace Nico Hulkenberg at the end of the season.
If he were to join Haas, he would team up with Magnussen, who was asked if he’d mentor the young driver.
Magnussen bluntly replied, “I’m not really here to take care of young kids. I do that at home.
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@So hopefully the guy we have in the car will be competent, professional and consistent like Nico has been, and we’ll see if I’ll be in the other car.”
Bearman, who made an impressive F1 debut for Ferrari when substituting for the ill Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia, responded to Magnussen’s comments during the Miami Grand Prix.
“I don’t think he’d be looking after me, I can look after myself,” Bearman stated via GPblog.
He acknowledged that one good performance doesn’t guarantee a seat at Haas.
“It’s true that I don’t just deserve to have the Haas seat which seems to be vacant because I did a good race in F1,” he continued.
“I have to continually show that I deserve it, I have to work for it.
“That’s by doing, first of all, good performances in Formula 2, showing that I can fight at the front and contend for the championship.
“And of course my FP1 experiences with Haas, and I hope that I can show what I’m capable of and show why I deserve that seat.”
Bearman, currently a reserve driver, might get another F1 opportunity sooner than expected, with Magnussen only two penalty points away from a race ban.
Bearman indicated his readiness for any potential call-up.
“I’m going to be in Canada as a reserve for Ferrari but I’m also a reserve for Haas when I’m a reserve for Ferrari, so of course I’m ready,” he said.
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“I showed in Saudi that I’m ready so if I get the call I’ll happily jump in.
“Of course, it’s never the way you want to do a race if something like that happens but if it is the case, if it does happen then I’ll happily oblige.”
Bearman, a Formula 4 champion, currently ranks 20th in the F2 standings after four race weekends, one of which he missed to become Ferrari’s youngest-ever driver.