Antonelli's Dominance Makes Bearman Dream: I've Always Been Competitive With Kimi

When the lights went out at the start of the 2026 season, few would have bet on Andrea Kimi Antonelli becoming the championship leader by the summer break. Yet the young Mercedes driver has been sensational, taking six wins in eleven races. He leads Lewis Hamilton by 50 points, and teammate George Russell by 59—Russell, who was expected to dominate this season.

Amid the spotlight on Andrea Kimi Antonelli, one name draws inspiration: Ollie Bearman. The Haas driver was Antonelli's teammate at Prema during the 2025 F2 season. They spent a full year together, with a unique dynamic—Bearman, a Brit, racing for an Italian team, while Antonelli, an Italian, was under the wing of a British team, Mercedes.

“It was actually quite funny,” Bearman said on the official F1 podcast, Beyond The Grid. “Kimi and I used to joke: in F2, I was the Brit with an Italian team, and he was the Italian with a British team. I mean, Mercedes' F1 team is based in the UK.”

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Paradoxically, Hamilton's move to Ferrari reshaped both their paths. Antonelli was promoted to the seat Hamilton vacated, while Bearman took a more traditional route—entering F1 with a midfield team like Haas. However, Bearman insists he feels no envy for his former teammate's success. Quite the opposite, he feels calm and confident.

“I have great confidence from this point of view,” Bearman explained. “That's why I can sleep soundly knowing that Kimi and also Isack [Hadjar] are achieving incredible results with equally fast cars. It shows I have the credentials, because I've raced against them throughout my junior career and always had positive results. So it's just a matter of time. I'm not in a hurry, but when I have the car that can win races, I'll win races.”

Bearman's statement reveals the mindset of a driver undaunted by his former teammate's dominance. Instead, he uses Antonelli's achievements as proof that he is on the right track. With full support from Haas and growing experience, Bearman seems ready to wait for his moment to shine in F1.