Is Oliver Bearman Hot Betting Ticket After Thrilling F1 Debut?

Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as everyone expected. But the story was hardly about him as Oliver Bearman, Ferrari’s 18-year-old debutant, stole the headlines and everyone’s hearts. The emergency backup finished seventh on the grid despite having little-to-no prep time as Carlos Sainz Jr. pulled out just days before the race. How does the new teenage sensation impact F1 betting odds?

Bearman Relevant on F1 Odds

Bearman is a feel-good story right now. But no one in their right mind would consider him to be a threat to Verstappen or Red Bull’s dynasty. The former is listed at -800 to win the 2024 title while the latter is at a whopping -2000. In short: nothing’s changed on the F1 odds board. However, Bearman and Ferrari may be worth betting in other ways.

For one, Ferrari is the favorite to “win” this season if we exclude Red Bull. It sits at a distant 12-1 to win but it is ahead of the likes of Mercedes and McLaren. Bearman finished seventh with little preparation if any at all in Jeddah. He’ll have nearly two weeks for the Australian Grand Prix on March 24.

Bearman is listed at14-1 to finish on the podium per the early online sports betting lines. We also expect theBetUs sportsbook to give him short odds to finish with points and to have small underdog odds to finish within the top six. Of course, given his newfound popularity, the fans may quickly bet his lines down.

“Star is born now,” Damon Hill, a former F1 world champion proclaimed on his X account. “To jump in at such short notice, on a track as intimidating as Jeddah, in a Ferrari of all things, and hold up under immense pressure and keep it together… Wow.”

Hold Your Horses: It’s Too Early To Bet

Bearman is a rookie. But fans should not make the rookie mistake of getting too excited and betting online heavily on him. For one, it is best to pay attention to any updates coming out of Ferrari and its competitors. Secondly, the Australian GP features a different track from Jeddah. Third, we have seen young drivers start fast only to disappoint in subsequent races.

Based on everyone’s judgments, and what Bearman himself is saying, he appears to be the “real deal”. What’s most impressive about the “rook” is his poise and honesty. Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and nearly everyone had nothing but praise for him.

But that’s also why he may be a tough F1 pick, given how his lines may be shorter than what is expected. Still, at 14-1 to finish on the podium, he is tied with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, and everyone else with longer odds has either not scored points or finished just inside the top 10.

And What of Sainz?

As much as we’d love to see Bearman continue racing with Ferrari, the logical thing to do is to put Carlos Sainz back should he recover from his surgery. We’re hearing mixed reports on Sainz participating in the Australian GP.

Fred Vasseur, Ferrari’s current principal, is feeling “doubtful” of his return here. But others on the team are “optimistic” he can make it back in time. Patients typically need three weeks to recover from appendicitis surgery. This is too early for Sainz to return, which means Bearman should have a chance for an “encore”.

Questions Of The Day

Which driver is most likely to win the F1 title in 2024 outside Max Verstappen?