Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s former engineer has lauded one young British star who can follow in their footsteps as he possesses what actually makes the two Ferrari team-mates stars.
Jock Clear previously worked with Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher at Mercedes, having helped Jules Villeneuve become world champion during their time at Williams together. The experienced and highly respected member of the F1 paddock then took up a fresh challenge with Ferrari in 2015.
Clear worked with Leclerc as his coach, helping him refine his race craft and mental side of his performance, as well as working with the Scuderia’s driver academy.
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One star who came through that Ferrari pathway is 21-year-old Briton Ollie Bearman, who is in his second full year on the grid with Haas.
Bearman worked with Clear in the academy before he replaced Carlos Sainz for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to illness, making his F1 debut. The Chelmsford-born driver impressed and has held a secure seat at Ferrari’s customer team since the start of last year.
With the years on his side and his knowledge of the Ferrari setup, Bearman has been touted as a potential replacement for Hamilton or Leclerc when the time comes for them to retire or move on.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, via betselect.co.uk, Clear said: “I’m probably biased and not very objective about the Ollie Bearman analysis because I know him too well. Marco Matassa and I brought him into the academy.
“What really encourages me about Ollie is the level of intelligence he brings to his driving. Every F1 driver is very talented; they’re all very capable with their hands and feet.
“But what sets the really good ones apart is their ability to navigate the sport, and Ollie again has really good mental strength, and he is super intelligent.
“Ollie has what we would call nous. And it’s what Lewis has, and it’s what Charles has; they’re knowledgeable about the sport. And Ollie is the same.
“So is he another Lewis, or is he another Charles? Time will tell. I think his Haas experience has been very up and down.
“From what I know of him and what I’ve seen, he’s certainly earned the opportunity to drive for a top team. Whether it’s Ferrari, we’ll have to wait and see.
“If Lewis is there for another three years and Charles is there for another three years, that opportunity might not come at Ferrari, but I would like it to come at one of the top teams so we can really see Ollie flourish and what he’s capable of.”