Oliver Bearman could hardly believe it when he battled Max Verstappen on track for the first time in Formula 1. The Haas driver admitted to getting goosebumps at the 2025 Mexico GP when he saw the four-time champion alongside him on the track.
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The Briton’s best result so far came at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Near the end of the championship, he crossed the finish line in fourth place, despite having started further back in the pack.
The competitor capitalized on the result after a battle between the Red Bull Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton, with a beautiful move by Max at Turn 4. In fact, the overtake was considered one of the most beautiful of 2025 in F1.
Later, Verstappen chased Ollie for the final podium position and managed to leave the Haas opponent behind. But regarding the moment, Bearman holds a sweet memory.
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“Well, I was thinking: this is the first time I’m racing side-by-side with Lewis, with Max, even with George and Piastri — all these drivers, some of whom I’ve been watching since I was a kid. Max has been on TV for so long, in 2016 I was 11 — so every F1 race I remember had Max, and certainly Lewis too. So I was racing with these guys side-by-side,” he said.
“I had Max behind me. I got goosebumps while driving. I thought: ‘How cool! This is amazing.’ This guy is the best F1 driver of all time, and he’s chasing me. You know, he’s pushing me really hard. And I thought: ‘This is what I live for. This is my life,’” he concluded.
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