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Daily Tribune
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Grand Prix Confirmed for April 10–12, 2026
Bahrain will host the fourth round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, following the release of next season's official calendar by Formula 1 and the FIA. The Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 is scheduled to take place from April 10 to 12 at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir. The Kingdom retains its position on the calendar for a second consecutive year, with the season set to kick off in Australia (March 6–8), followed by China (March 13–15) and Japan (March 27–29) before arriving in Bahrain. The race will then be followed by the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah (April 17–19). The 2026 season will feature 24 races, with Madrid joining the calendar as a new addition from September 11 to 13, and the season concluding in Abu Dhabi (December 4–6). Following another sold-out event in 2025, Bahrain International Circuit has announced a priority ticket access window for fans looking to secure the best seats for 2026. Interested individuals can now register at to receive early access before the official ticket launch. BIC, known as the 'Home of Motorsport in the Middle East,' continues to be a key venue on the global F1 circuit, drawing fans from across the region and beyond. For further updates and ticket information, visit call the BIC Hotline on , or follow BIC's official social media channels.
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
F1's next big hope is rising rapidly through the ranks
The road to Formula One, the pinnacle of single-seater racing, is one of the most challenging in sports. While the pathway to get there is structured through various levels in junior formulae, getting through those in the shortest time frame is the challenge most young racing drivers face. Ever since Max Verstappen burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old, the top teams have always been in constant search for the next big thing. In the lead-up to this season, there was much hype around Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old who replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this year. Many believe that the Italian is the next big thing in the mould of Verstappen. Alongside Antonelli, this year, F1 is undergoing a generational transformation with as many as six rookies entering their first full season. Next year, the sport could have one more young gun joining the ranks. In April, during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, the 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad made history by becoming the youngest driver to win an FIA Formula 2 race in the sprint race that weekend. The British racer has been part of Red Bull Racing's junior programme for the last few years and is one of the brightest prospects in the junior categories. Interestingly, the teenager has Indian heritage through his mother and is quite familiar with the culture, having grown up in a household where his maternal grandmother took care of him and even prepared Indian food for race meetings. Last year, he visited India with his parents and maternal grandparents. The Red Bull hierarchy, including Dr. Helmut Marko, in charge of the young driver's programme, and team boss Christian Horner, has constantly referred to Lindblad as their next big bet in F1. 'Taking a win, it's just a big confidence booster. It takes away a bit of pressure, but it's not like there's no pressure because one win will not change your career. It was good to get the season started, and I'm very happy,' said Lindblad. 'I think it feels good, but there's still a lot of work to be done. It was a sprint race, not a feature. It gives me confidence that I'm doing a good job and we're making steps forward. However, I'm not naive enough to think this is okay. I mean, I've still got a lot of work to be done. There's still a lot of work to be done. I'm not settling down now just because I won a race,' he explained after his record-breaking feat. Earlier this year, the youngster won the Formula Regional Oceania Championship in New Zealand, which helped him earn enough points to qualify for an FIA Super License, a prerequisite for participating in F1. He will have it once he turns 18 in August. However, in a clear sign of faith in the youngster, Red Bull has requested that the FIA fast-track his application, and the governing body is set to meet next week to determine if the exemption can be granted to him. Apart from his sheer speed and consistent results, it is Lindblad's meteoric rise through the junior ranks that has stood out in his journey so far, despite coming from a non-racing background. Recently, Dr Marko recalled the first time he met the youngster, who was 13 at the time, during a karting world championship event. He was impressed by his maturity and signed him up for the Red Bull Junior programme. 'If I look back, I met him first in Portimão. I met him and his father, and Arvid was leading the conversation. So that also was something which is not normal,' Marko said to the Inside Line F1 podcast. The Red Bull programme is known for being cut-throat, and Dr. Marko's reputation is one of a stern taskmaster and someone ruthless when it comes to dropping drivers who don't deliver. However, Lindblad says he doesn't feel the pressure and instead revels in it. 'I feel I'm pretty good at blocking out the noise on that side. And also, I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to be in Formula One. That's also why Dr. Marko and I get along quite well. I think sometimes on these junior teams, it's easy to maybe lose sight of why you're there and what you're doing, because you feel the pressure from the bosses to perform. I can flip it a different way and say I'm here because they believe in me, and I want to reach Formula One, and they only want to help me get there. So I don't feel any pressure on that side,' he adds. One of the challenges of advancing through the ranks is not to stay at the same level for too long, but to continually step up. More than half of the current grid has followed the F4, F3, and F2 routes. Seamless progress After acing the karting level, the 17-year-old began single-seater racing properly only two years ago in F4 and has progressed seamlessly to the following levels, reaching F2 in only his third year in cars. 'I feel that in F2, of course, the second and third seasons help a lot, but I think even in the younger categories, it makes an even bigger difference. You can imagine when you're young, there's a lot more to learn. So I think that makes a big difference. I think that a second year or an extra year helps a lot,' Lindblad explains. 'I'm still learning massively. The step I made during the F3 season alone was huge just cause it was my second year in a car and most people are doing that second year in a car in F4, or FRECA (Formula Regional European Championship).' Last year in the FIA F3, Lindblad finished fourth in the standings and briefly led the championship, achieving some impressive wins, including a double win at Silverstone (Sprint and Feature races). In one race that weekend, he came through the field from outside the top-10. Speaking about the targets for the season, Lindblad said it is to start fighting for wins regularly by the second half of the season. 'I think that the goal is similar to F3, to sort of learn the first couple of races. It is a big step. I'm still young and experienced and sort of just chip away at it, but by the second half of the season, I want to be challenging for wins and poles. If I'm being honest, I want to do it earlier than the second half of the season. I'm just really focused on myself and trying to keep learning, working with the team, because I believe that we can.' Shining in Spain Cut to earlier this week, Lindblad already hit his next goal when he clinched his maiden pole position during the Spanish GP weekend in Barcelona and also managed his first feature race win. The victory has put him just eight points behind leader Alex Dunne and is in the thick of the fight for the F2 title. In fact, a few years ago, while he was still in karts, Lindblad told current McLaren driver and title contender Lando Norris that he would be racing against him in F1 soon. 'It was quite funny,' he says, recalling the incident. 'I met him when he came to the kart track in 2021, and we were all racing. It was a big karting race, and he came because he was launching his own chassis. And I remember I was just there with my friend, and I saw him, and I said to my friend, I'm going to go and talk to him, and he was like 'no, you're not brave enough.' Initially, I was kind of on the edge, but then when he said that, that he almost didn't believe that I was going to do it, that almost was like motivation for me. And I don't know, I just went straight up to Lando. I just saw Lando, and I was like, 'Remember me, I'll see you in five years.' And it was meant in just like sort of a joking manner, but also with a hint of determination, saying, I'm going to be pushing hard, and I hope to do it in the future. And yeah, I have been working hard the last couple of years. I didn't leave myself a very easy timeline, because I had to do one category for every year, which is what I have done.' In a few months, Lindblad will be eligible to participate in F1 free practice sessions, in which teams are mandated to run young drivers, and will even have the opportunity to run alongside Norris and showcase his abilities behind the wheel of an F1 car. Being part of Red Bull means he is part of a team that controls four seats in F1 with potential vacancies. But at the same time, Lindblad says that while he is aware of the opportunities, he wants to avoid dwelling too far into the future and is focused on the job at hand. 'I'm quite aware. I see the news reports that Dr. Marko and Christian Horner are mentioning me in a positive light, which is good and means they're pleased with what I'm doing. That gives me confidence and a sign that I am doing things right, and just to keep sort of working the same way.' 'But I am also very aware that it can change very quickly, and them talking about me now is not going to get me to F1 next year. I try not to think about it. I just focus on the performance in F2 because I know that's what will get me to F1. I know, I'm confident that if I do well, there'll be an opportunity for me.' 'Hopefully, I will do F2 once, and then I will be in F1 next year. And then that will be the timeline sorted. So yeah, we will see.'
Barnama
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Barnama
This Is What I Was Born To Do – Bearman 'living The Dream' In F1
LONDON, May 20 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) - British driver Oliver Bearman says he is 'living the dream' in Formula 1 as the youngster widely tipped as a future Ferrari star gears up for the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, PA Media/dpa reported. Bearman, 20, was thrust into the F1 spotlight in March 2024 when he was parachuted into Carlos Sainz's Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after the Spaniard was struck by appendicitis. The London-born Ferrari academy driver took to it like a duck to water, finishing seventh on debut – one which Lewis Hamilton called 'incredible' – and was also called into action twice more last season when deputising for Kevin Magnussen at Haas. bootstrap slideshow His performances were enough to earn him a permanent seat with the American team for this season and a chance to fulfil his childhood ambitions. 'Of course I am living the dream and this is what I was born to do,' Bearman told the PA news agency. 'I am really happy to be here and if I can pass on some of that happiness and motivation to the team members, then I am doing my job well.' Bearman admits his maiden full F1 season is still throwing up 'pinch-me moments', as he competes with drivers he grew up watching – such as seven-time world champion Hamilton and the evergreen 43-year-old Fernando Alonso. 'In the heat of the moment you do not think about who is in the car, you just think about trying to overtake that car,' Bearman added. 'But it is special looking back that I have been following these guys my entire life and now I am sharing the track with them, it's a really nice feeling.'
Glasgow Times
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Glasgow Times
This is what I was born to do – Oliver Bearman ‘living the dream' in Formula One
Bearman, 20, was thrust into the F1 spotlight in March 2024 when he was parachuted into Carlos Sainz's Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after the Spaniard was struck by appendicitis. The London-born Ferrari academy driver took to it like a duck to water, finishing seventh on debut – one which Lewis Hamilton called 'incredible' – and was also called into action twice more last season when deputising for Kevin Magnussen at Haas. His performances were enough to earn him a permanent seat with the American team for this season and a chance to fulfil his childhood ambitions. Bearman is enjoying his first full season in F1 (David Davies/PA) 'Of course I am living the dream and this is what I was born to do,' Bearman told the PA news agency. 'I am really happy to be here and if I can pass on some of that happiness and motivation to the team members then I am doing my job well.' Bearman admits his maiden full F1 season is still throwing up 'pinch-me moments', as he competes with drivers he grew up watching such as seven-time world champion Hamilton and the evergreen 43-year-old Fernando Alonso. 'In the heat of the moment you do not think about who is in the car, you just think about trying to overtake that car,' Bearman added. 'But it is special looking back that I have been following these guys my entire life and now I am sharing the track with them, it's a really nice feeling.' Bearman, who has six points from the first seven races, admits he has found it difficult to consistently unlock the performance of his Haas. Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve applauded the British star's 'aggressive' driving style earlier in the season – a style Bearman believes is well suited to F1. 'I'll take that. The F1 car seems to naturally play to my strengths I guess. I always feel comfortable in the car and agree with it at the moment,' he said. 'It is just a natural feeling, this is how I have always extracted performance from the car. F1 seems to be a little more natural and second nature for me.' Bearcon trying to change passing rules of Rugby 🏉 😆 Thanks for the pre-race warm up @Federugby 🙌🇮🇹#HaasF1 #F1 #ImolaGP — MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) May 18, 2025 Bearman remains part of the Ferrari family and Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has spoken previously of how it would be a sign of recognition for the team if the Scuderia decide to give the 20-year-old a seat in the future. But Bearman says his full focus is on delivering for Haas. 'It is not something that I think about honestly,' he added. 'I have always had that attachment to Ferrari and that is just natural coming through the academy. But I just try to focus on the job at hand and at the moment my career is lying with Haas. Bearman remains part of the Ferrari family (David Davies/PA) 'Whatever comes as a result of that comes as a result of that.' This weekend sees the F1 circus roll into Monte Carlo for the sport's most prestigious event and one that Monaco-resident Bearman is relishing. 'I am so excited for that. It's going to be insane and it will be nice to sleep in my own bed,' Bearman said. 'It will be a special weekend. F2 on the streets of Monaco was special enough, so F1 is going to be incredible.'
Powys County Times
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Powys County Times
This is what I was born to do – Oliver Bearman ‘living the dream' in Formula One
British driver Oliver Bearman says he is 'living the dream' in Formula One as the youngster widely tipped as a future Ferrari star gears up for the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix. Bearman, 20, was thrust into the F1 spotlight in March 2024 when he was parachuted into Carlos Sainz's Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after the Spaniard was struck by appendicitis. The London-born Ferrari academy driver took to it like a duck to water, finishing seventh on debut – one which Lewis Hamilton called 'incredible' – and was also called into action twice more last season when deputising for Kevin Magnussen at Haas. His performances were enough to earn him a permanent seat with the American team for this season and a chance to fulfil his childhood ambitions. 'Of course I am living the dream and this is what I was born to do,' Bearman told the PA news agency. 'I am really happy to be here and if I can pass on some of that happiness and motivation to the team members then I am doing my job well.' Bearman admits his maiden full F1 season is still throwing up 'pinch-me moments', as he competes with drivers he grew up watching such as seven-time world champion Hamilton and the evergreen 43-year-old Fernando Alonso. 'In the heat of the moment you do not think about who is in the car, you just think about trying to overtake that car,' Bearman added. 'But it is special looking back that I have been following these guys my entire life and now I am sharing the track with them, it's a really nice feeling.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ollie Bearman (@olliebearman) Bearman, who has six points from the first seven races, admits he has found it difficult to consistently unlock the performance of his Haas. Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve applauded the British star's 'aggressive' driving style earlier in the season – a style Bearman believes is well suited to F1. 'I'll take that. The F1 car seems to naturally play to my strengths I guess. I always feel comfortable in the car and agree with it at the moment,' he said. 'It is just a natural feeling, this is how I have always extracted performance from the car. F1 seems to be a little more natural and second nature for me.' Bearcon trying to change passing rules of Rugby 🏉 😆 Thanks for the pre-race warm up @Federugby 🙌🇮🇹 #HaasF1 #F1 #ImolaGP — MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) May 18, 2025 Bearman remains part of the Ferrari family and Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has spoken previously of how it would be a sign of recognition for the team if the Scuderia decide to give the 20-year-old a seat in the future. But Bearman says his full focus is on delivering for Haas. 'It is not something that I think about honestly,' he added. 'I have always had that attachment to Ferrari and that is just natural coming through the academy. But I just try to focus on the job at hand and at the moment my career is lying with Haas. 'Whatever comes as a result of that comes as a result of that.' This weekend sees the F1 circus roll into Monte Carlo for the sport's most prestigious event and one that Monaco-resident Bearman is relishing. 'I am so excited for that. It's going to be insane and it will be nice to sleep in my own bed,' Bearman said. 'It will be a special weekend. F2 on the streets of Monaco was special enough, so F1 is going to be incredible.'
