SAO PAULO (AP) — Teenage driver Oliver Bearman will have another full weekend competing in a Formula 1 cockpit.
The 19-year-old Bearman has replaced Kevin Magnussen in a Haas car at the Brazilian Grand Prix while the Dane recovers from an unknown illness.
Bearman excelled at Interlagos on Friday, at the end of which the team confirmed he will race on Sunday.
Bearman was third in the morning practice, only 0.195 seconds behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, the fastest. Later, Bearman left countryman Lewis Hamilton behind in the final part of the sprint race qualifier and finished 10th.
Haas did not elaborate on Magnussen's illness. Rules do allow the Danish driver to return for qualifying on Saturday, but Haas said in a short statement that “the British driver will now complete the full Brazil GP weekend with the team.”
"The team wishes Kevin a quick recovery and will provide a further update in due course,” Haas said.
Race stewards said in response to a Haas request that Bearman “is required to use the engine, gearbox and tires which were allocated to the original driver.”
Bearman, who will race for Haas in 2025, replaced Magnussen at the Azerbaijan GP in September and scored a point.
The teenager also drove for Ferrari this season, and made a big impression by finishing seventh in the Saudi Arabian GP.
Bearman expected to race in Formula 2 that weekend. But Ferrari told him two days before the race he would have to replace Carlos Sainz Jr., who was diagnosed with appendicitis and needed an operation the same day.
Bearman became then the third youngest driver to start an F1 race — behind only Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll, who were 17 and 18, respectively.
The teenage driver will start Saturday's sprint race two positions ahead of his Haas teammate, veteran German driver Nico Hulkenberg.
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AP Formula 1: https://apnews.com/hub/formula-one
Mauricio Savarese, The Associated Press
