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The Azerbaijan GP was Franco Colapinto and Ollie Bearman’s second race in Formula 1, and they showed the world that they mean business.
In a frenetic and dramatic race weekend in Azerbaijan, both rookies secured points, proving they’re forces to be reckoned with in the world of Formula 1.
Franco Colapinto: A Dream Weekend for the Argentine
Colapinto, the Argentine Williams Academy driver promoted from Formula 2 to replace Logan Sargeant for the remainder of the season, scored his first points in Formula 1 in his second race at Baku. This achievement makes him the first Argentine to score points since Carlos Reutemann, who also drove for Williams, last did so at the 1982 South African Grand Prix.
Despite a rocky start with a crash in FP1, Colapinto quickly recovered. Williams restored his car in time for FP2, where he already began to show he’d learned from his earlier mistakes. During qualifying, he made the Q3 cut and secured a P9 start, ahead of his teammate Alex Albon, who qualified P10. Thanks to Lewis Hamilton’s grid penalty, Colapinto moved up to P8, starting the race alongside none other than Fernando Alonso, with Max Verstappen just ahead.
While his start wasn’t stellar, Colapinto defended his position admirably. He even left seven-time world champion Hamilton behind at one point and masterfully fought off fellow rookie Ollie Bearman. After overtaking Nico Hülkenberg to secure P10, a crash between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez elevated Colapinto to a remarkable P8 finish.
With these four points, Colapinto has already outscored his predecessor Sargeant, who only managed a single point over the 2023/2024 seasons. He’s repaid the faith Williams boss James Vowles placed in him and helped Williams leapfrog Alpine into eighth place in the Constructors’ standings.
Reflecting on the race, Colapinto described his result as a “dream come true” and expressed gratitude to his team for pushing him forward:
“I hope to be showing what I’m capable of and that I deserve a seat in Formula 1. The opportunity that James gave me is helping me to prove that.”
Ollie Bearman: Making History in Baku
Bearman, the British prodigy signed by Haas for 2025, made history in Baku. Following Kevin Magnussen’s race ban after accumulating 12 penalty points, Bearman stepped in and became the first F1 driver to score points for two different teams in his first two races. His P10 finish in Baku followed a seventh-place finish for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, marking an impressive start to his F1 career.
Bearman also faced early struggles, crashing in FP3 at Turn 1. Despite this setback, he outqualified his vastly more experienced teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, in P11. After Hamilton’s grid penalty moved Bearman up to P10, the rookie held his own in a chaotic midfield battle for much of the race.
For 23 laps, Bearman kept Hamilton at bay, demonstrating both maturity and skill in his defense. However, in the final laps, Hamilton eventually overtook him, with Bearman unable to retake the position. Despite this, Bearman beat his teammate Hülkenberg to the last point to finish 10th after navigating the debris from the Perez/Sainz crash, reacting faster than his Haas counterpart.
“Nice to get a point with Haas. It was a tough race. Missed a little bit of pace in the first stint, but the second stint was really good. Had some really nice battles out there on track, and I learned so much this weekend.”
It’s clear Bearman is learning and he’s doing it fast. He’ll return to Formula 2 for the final two races of the season, but his F1 seat with Haas for 2025 is secure.
Colapinto and Bearman Show Promise, but One Future Remains Uncertain
As the dust settles on a dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto and Ollie Bearman’s standout performances have made it clear that they are rookies with tremendous potential.
Colapinto’s smooth recovery from an early weekend crash to secure P8 and his first Formula 1 points for Williams was a breakthrough moment, cementing his status as a talent worth watching.
Bearman, on the other hand, made history by becoming the first driver to score points for two different constructors in his first two Formula 1 races. His battle with Hamilton and Hulkenberg throughout the race showed he isn’t afraid to mix it up with the big names. With his Haas contract secured for 2025, his future in Formula 1 is already written.
Colapinto, however, remains in a more uncertain situation. Rumours suggest that Mattia Binotto is considering him for Audi’s upcoming project, which could see him paired with Nico Hülkenberg in 2025. But until something is confirmed, Colapinto will need to continue proving himself race by race.
With performances like the ones in Baku, it’s clear that this new wave of rookies is coming in strong. Are we on the cusp of a new Formula 1 era? Only time will tell.
Featured Image Credit: MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
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