Bearman to race for Haas in Sao Paulo GP as Magnussen pulls out
Kevin Magnussen will miss the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after falling ill, leaving Haas reserve driver Oliver Bearman to take over the Dane's car for the remainder of the weekend.
Haas initially announced on Friday that Magnussen would skip the day’s practice and Sprint event due to illness, but in an updated statement later confirmed that he would not be in the car at all.
"Haas F1 Team can confirm that Kevin Magnussen will not compete in the São Paulo Grand Prix and Oliver Bearman will race for the team for the remainder of the weekend," the team said.
Haas did not specify the nature of Magnussen’s ailment, but according to Motorsport.com, the 32-year-old is suffering from severe nausea symptoms.
As the US outfit’s official reserve, who will race for the team on a full-time basis in 2025, Bearman was on site at Interlagos, and was drafted in on Friday to complete the day’s opening practice and sprint qualifying in the afternoon.
Despite the late call-up, the young Ferrari junior impressed in FP1, concluding the session with the third fastest time. Bearman also acquitted himself well in sprint qualifying as he reached the final top-ten shootout, contrary to teammate Nico Hulkenberg who was left stranded in SQ2.
The 19-year-old enjoyed his F1 debut in Saudi Arabia earlier this season, with Ferrari, when he substituted for an appendicitis-stricken Carlos Sainz.
He also undertook his first race with Haas at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in mid-September, replacing Magnussen following a race ban imposed on the Dane for reaching the 12-point limit on his F1 superlicence.
Bearman's third Grand Prix start on Sunday at Interlagos implies that the Briton won’t be able to run with Haas in F1’s post-season ‘young driver’ test in Abu Dhabi as F1 regulations specify that rookie drivers are limited to two Grands Prix before they are ineligible for ‘young driver’ test duties.
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