Before Oliver Bearman, the last driver to race for two teams in a single season was George Russell, who stepped in for Lewis Hamilton at the Sakhir Grand Prix in 2020 after Russell was called up from his Williams seat.

During the 2024 season, Bearman had the opportunity to drive for both Ferrari and Haas as part of his role as a reserve driver. The 18-year-old made his Formula 1 debut at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after Carlos Sainz was sidelined due to appendicitis. Originally slated to compete in the Formula 2 race at the same event, Bearman secured pole position in F2 before he received the last-minute call-up to F1. He finished seventh in the race, earning his first F1 points and placing him tenth in the championship standings at the time.

Just six months later, Bearman was back in an F1 car, replacing Kevin Magnussen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Magnussen received a one-race ban after accumulating 12 penalty points on his superlicence, making him the first driver in F1 history to face such a penalty. In Baku, Bearman delivered another solid performance, finishing tenth and scoring another point, thereby becoming the first driver to earn points for two different teams in his first two races.

Bearman is now among a select group of drivers who have raced for multiple teams in one season.

While it is uncommon, several drivers have made mid-season team switches, sometimes due to team-imposed changes. Here’s a look at notable instances of drivers racing for different teams in a single year:

Max Verstappen

Verstappen had only completed four races of his second F1 season when he was promoted from Toro Rosso to Red Bull in 2016. His move followed a challenging start for Daniil Kvyat at Red Bull, particularly after Kvyat’s collision with Sebastian Vettel at the Russian GP. Verstappen made his Red Bull debut at the Spanish GP, where he secured a victory, helped by a first-lap crash between Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Nico Rosberg. This race marked a significant milestone, as Verstappen became the youngest driver ever to win an F1 race, breaking the record previously owned by Sebastian Vettel.

Sebastian Vettel

Vettel made his F1 debut with BMW Sauber at the 2007 United States GP, stepping in for Robert Kubica, who had suffered a concussion from a crash. Vettel finished eighth in his debut. He was later signed by Toro Rosso and raced for them in the latter parts of the season, finishing his first race for the team in Hungary.

Michael Schumacher

Schumacher debuted with Jordan at the 1991 Belgian GP, stepping in for the imprisoned Bertrand Gachot. Although Schumacher qualified seventh, he retired on the first lap due to a clutch failure. He signed with Benetton shortly after and completed the final five races of the season with them, achieving three points before the end of the year.

Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly

In 2019, both Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly raced for Red Bull and Toro Rosso, respectively, following the driver swap initiated by Red Bull. Gasly started the season with Red Bull, while Albon drove for Toro Rosso. After the summer break, Albon replaced Gasly at Red Bull, managing to score points in the remaining races. Meanwhile, Gasly earned his first F1 podium at the Brazilian GP with Toro Rosso.

Carlos Sainz

Sainz announced in 2017 that it was unlikely that he would remain with Toro Rosso for the next season. He subsequently joined Renault for the last four races of the season, replacing Jolyon Palmer, who had a disappointing year. Sainz’s performance included two retirements and just one top-ten finish in those four races.

Giancarlo Fisichella

In his final F1 season, Fisichella achieved Force India’s first pole position at the 2009 Belgian GP and finished second in the race, marking a historical moment for the team. Speculation arose about his potential move to Ferrari to replace Luca Badoer, who struggled as a stand-in for the injured Felipe Massa. Fisichella confirmed his switch to Ferrari for the Italian GP, finishing third in Monza before he became the team’s reserve driver when Massa returned.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen

Frentzen experienced two mid-season switches in 2001 and 2002. After a rough start with Jordan in 2001, he was let go due to a series of poor results. Frentzen switched to Prost, where he finished in the points before the team collapsed due to financial issues. In 2002, he moved from Arrows to Sauber after a turbulent start to the season, eventually finishing on the podium in the United States GP.

Mika Salo

After starting the 1999 season with BAR, Salo was signed by Ferrari mid-season to replace the injured Michael Schumacher. Salo had an impressive stint, as he led the German GP before Ferrari ordered him to let his teammate Eddie Irvine pass. He also secured a podium finish in Monza, concluding his time with Ferrari on a high note.

Jarno Trulli

Trulli began his F1 career with Minardi before moving to Prost mid-season in 1997 after Olivier Panis’s injury. Trulli delivered strong performances before joining Renault in 2002.

JJ Lehto

Lehto was set to race for Benetton in 1994, but he suffered a neck injury, resulting in his replacement. After a brief stint back with Benetton, he ended the season racing for Sauber.

Andrea de Cesaris

After starting the 1994 season without a team, de Cesaris stepped in for Eddie Irvine at Jordan and later covered for the injured Karl Wendlinger at Sauber before he was replaced.

Roberto Moreno

Moreno had an interesting 1991 season, moving from Benetton to Jordan after being dropped for Michael Schumacher. He ultimately finished the year racing for Minardi.