Guenther Steiner is never one to tiptoe around a big opinion – and the former Haas boss has now planted a bold red flag in Ferrari’s future plans.
With Lewis Hamilton struggling to find his feet in his debut season with the Scuderia, Steiner says the team’s long-term answer is already dazzling the paddock in Haas colours: British young gun Oliver Bearman.
The 20-year-old’s first full Formula 1 campaign has been a resounding success. Four straight points finishes – including a superb fourth place in Mexico that equalled Haas’ best-ever result – have turned Bearman into one of the brightest young stories of the season.
Hamilton, by contrast, is still hunting for his first Ferrari podium, and his uneasy adaptation to the red machinery – should it extend into next season – might compel the seven-time world champion to walk away from the sport at the end of 2026.
And if that happens, Steiner believes the path forward is obvious.
Steiner: Bearman has 'blown away' Ocon
Asked on The Red Flags podcast whether Bearman should replace Hamilton if the latter fails to deliver on expectations again next year, Steiner didn’t pause for breath.
“Gas!” he fired back. “If Hamilton next year isn’t any good, he should replace him. Ollie is doing a fantastic job, he shows what he’s worth.”
Steiner went on to highlight just how emphatically Bearman has asserted himself against team-mate Esteban Ocon – a race winner with years of experience under his belt. Bearman leads the Frenchman in the Drivers’ standings by 10 points.
“Beginning of the year, he made mistakes,” added Steiner “Now he’s as clean as they get. Blows away Ocon, who is a much more experienced driver, paid a lot more money I guess. Blows him away, leaves him behind.”
In the Italian’s eyes, Ferrari should act quickly. If they don’t, someone else will.
“I think if Ferrari doesn’t give him a seat in 27, I think he will get a seat in one of the top teams anyway in 27. He will not be hanging around in the midfield, because he shows what he can do. His drives are so solid at the moment, fantastic to watch.”
Paddock Buzz: ‘As clear as night follows day’
Steiner isn’t the only one predicting a scarlet future for Bearman. Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz has been rallying behind the idea too, calling a Bearman – Ferrari pairing “as clear as night follows day” and pointing to the Scuderia’s long-standing habit of grooming junior drivers at customer teams before pulling them into the factory outfit.
“It’s clear as night follows day that Ollie Bearman will eventually replace Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. I think that’s absolutely clear,” he said on The F1 Show.
“Whether Charles Leclerc will stay there or not long-term is a completely separate subject.
“It’s the Ferrari way – they did it with Charles Leclerc – to farm out their juniors to a Sauber, or to Haas, or to an engine customer, and then bring them in-house.
“Haas insist that they’ve got Bearman nailed down for ’26, so I think Ferrari will let it play out with Hamilton, get to the end of his contract and then make a call on whether it’s Bearman.”
Read also: Bearman urges realism amid Ferrari-Hamilton succession talkHaas insist they’ve secured Bearman for 2026, but many believe that the moment Hamilton reaches the end of his deal, the gears will shift toward the teen talent.
For now, Bearman keeps stacking up the results, Haas keep celebrating their new star, and Steiner keeps beating the drum. And if he’s right, Ferrari’s next homegrown hero may already be wearing red – just with a different badge on his car’s nose.
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