"Typical me"

F1 rookie self-critical: “That was my mistake”

Oliver Bearman didn't quite stick to the rules.(Bild: GEPA)

Running a stop sign is not a good idea. And if you do it during your driving test, it's doubly stupid. And Formula 1 rookie Oliver Bearman can tell you a thing or two about that. 

Last season, Bearman was allowed to reel off his first racing kilometers in motorsport's premier class, scoring an impressive seven points in three GP and one sprint start.

Failed
The Haas driver has been legally allowed to drive in city traffic since 2022, although the path to a driver's license did have a hurdle - a stop sign, to be precise. 

Oliver Bearman (right) will compete for Haas together with Esteban Ocon (left).(Bild: AFP)

"I only got through the second time," revealed Bearman at the big Formula 1 launch show in London. "I didn't stop at a stop sign. I didn't disregard it completely, I just rolled towards it instead of stopping properly. There are no such signs on racetracks," was the 19-year-old's justification. "That was typical me, or typical racing driver: I thought I could get through without any driving lessons. That was my mistake. After that, I took a few driving lessons before taking the test again." This time with success, Bearman is now allowed to drive cars in Formula 1 as well as in road traffic - sometimes faster, sometimes more carefully ...