P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F2 and F3 series boss Bruno Michel has provided context for Oliver Bearman’s underwhelming 2024 campaign, as the British driver prepares for life in F1.
Bruno Michel disputes the idea that Oliver Bearman didn’t perform well enough in F2 last season to earn his F1 seat with Haas, citing external factors like the pressure of potentially moving to F1. Bearman demonstrated his readiness for F1 by deputising for Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, finishing seventh, and later scoring a point for Haas in Azerbaijan as a stand-in for Kevin Magnussen. Bearman is among four rookies transitioning from F2 to F1, facing comparisons with Bortoleto, Hadjar, and Antonelli, all with different backgrounds and landing spots. Michel emphasizes the challenges each driver faced in F2 and the complexities of evaluating their performances, especially with unique circumstances like Antonelli skipping FIA F3.
