Jenson Button Speaks Out on Ollie Bearman Over F1 Rookie Rule Frustrations

Haas driver Ollie Bearman has gained backing from Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button after expressing frustration with the sport’s rookie participation rule.



Ahead of the 2025 season, F1 introduced new regulations requiring teams to allocate two FP1 sessions per car to rookie drivers, in an effort to provide emerging talents with greater track experience.



At the Mexican Grand Prix, the rule was on full display as nine rookies took part in the opening practice session. Regular drivers including Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, and George Russell vacated their seats, while Bearman was replaced by Japanese driver Ryo Hirakawa.



Bearman Questions Fairness of Current Rules



Despite being in his first full Formula 1 season, Bearman does not qualify as a rookie under FIA regulations because he participated in three races during 2024. That technicality meant Haas was required to give his FP1 seat to another driver, even though Bearman remains relatively inexperienced.



Speaking to reporters at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Bearman shared his disappointment at missing out on valuable practice time.



“It’s [Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez] a tough track, and I probably underestimated how important it is to even do FP1,” he said.



“So again, it’s tough. It’s my rookie season, but I’m still having to miss FP1. In my position, I should be able to do FP1 in a weekend like this, but the fact is that I have to give it up.”



The young Brit continued: “You have to give them up, so anyway it’s going to hurt you regardless of where you do it. If I was to repeat the season, I’d probably do it in tracks that I know a lot more, like Abu Dhabi and stuff like that.



“But the facts are that I’m still a rookie, this is my first full season, and I’m still having to give up FP1s. I shouldn’t even be in this situation where I’m having to give up FP1s.”



Button Backs Bearman’s View



Bearman went further, suggesting that his 2024 race appearances may have unintentionally disadvantaged him under the rule.



“I guess those three races I got last year, where I am now, I probably would have only done two races to get an FP1 this weekend, and maybe we could have been a little bit faster today,” he added.



Jenson Button publicly sided with Bearman on social media platform X, commenting under a news post of Bearman’s quotes with a simple but emphatic, “I agree.”



Future of Rookie Rule Under Scrutiny



While Bearman’s remarks have reignited debate over the fairness of F1’s rookie policy, no immediate rule change is expected before 2026.



Despite missing FP1, Bearman impressed in qualifying, reaching Q3 and securing tenth place on the grid — a result that reinforced his view that consistent track time is crucial for young drivers aiming to develop quickly at the top level.
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