Bearman made his full F1 debut instead of the appendicitis-addled Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia on Friday, leaping into an SF-24 with solely FP3 to organize forward of qualifying.
He completed eleventh in qualifying, knocked out in Q2 by simply 0.036 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton.
“It is tremendous onerous to leap in on a monitor like this,” Verstappen stated of Bearman’s efficiency on Friday.
“And I feel what he has finished has been very spectacular. I used to be watching his first few laps in FP3, as a result of that is the place you possibly can decide if somebody is a bit comfy or not within the automobile.
“And by lap two, lap three, I used to be like: ‘Okay, that is a powerful begin’. I prefer to see that.
“To be P11, I feel solely on the time six tenths off pole [off Verstappen’s Q2 time], that’s greater than I feel you would have requested from him.
“He is finished an unimaginable job. And I hope he additionally loved it slightly bit on the market as a result of it is fairly aggravating whenever you come into a brand new staff, principally a brand new automobile, and with none [F1] expertise on this monitor.
Oliver Bearman, Ferrari SF-24
Picture by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photographs
“So, yeah, hopefully he is proud of himself. Additionally, not that he says, ‘I did not make it to Q3’ or no matter, as a result of I feel everybody throughout the paddock has seen that he did a fantastic job.”
Bearman’s new team-mate Charles Leclerc stated he barely had time to talk to his new squadmate forward of FP3, as Bearman “had a lot to know to ensure that him to be prepared” with Ferrari’s engineers.
“It is positively one of the troublesome tracks of the calendar for certain, being a road monitor and so quick as properly,” Leclerc added. “However he dealt with it completely.
“We did not have a lot time to talk. The one factor I’ve advised him when he got here this morning, I used to be like, ‘Are you excited?’ And he was like: ‘I can’t wait’.
“I anticipated this reply, and it was good to see the thrill for him for his first race in Ferrari and once more he is finished a fantastic job.”
Sergio Perez, talking alongside Verstappen and Leclerc within the post-qualifying press convention in Jeddah after Verstappen had secured a second pole in succession to kick off the 2024 season, stated: “It was very spectacular… [because] it is a spot the place you do not wish to get the decision to do your debut”.
“As a result of it is one of the difficult locations, the one which it’s important to take probably the most danger, the one which it’s important to be probably the most assured with the automobile, with the stability,” Perez continued.
“So, yeah, large respect for what he has achieved. I feel he has finished a very robust job. It simply exhibits how properly ready he’s for the chance. So properly finished to him.”
Oliver Bearman, Scuderia Ferrari, within the storage
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
Leclerc additionally claimed Bearman’s efforts confirmed Ferrari has a powerful simulator programme for making ready younger drivers – the pair a former and present member of the Scuderia’s Driver Academy.
“There’s been numerous work finished on the simulator and I’m actually completely happy to see that straightaway he discovered the rhythm as a result of that additionally signifies that the blokes on the simulator are doing a fantastic job and that each one the preparation that he has finished again on the manufacturing facility is for one thing,” stated Leclerc.
“He’s been ready in one of the best ways doable so as to be prepared, which doesn’t take something off his expertise, that has been once more extraordinarily spectacular what he has proven.”
