When you think of an F1 driver’s side hustle, you probably imagine luxury watches or high-end fashion. But Haas star Ollie Bearman is flipping that script with a surprisingly down-to-earth business move that has fans doing a double take.
The 21-year-old British driver, already turning heads in his second F1 season, made the predictable leap to Monaco in 2025 like most of his grid rivals. But instead of just soaking up the tax-free lifestyle, Bearman decided to plant roots in a totally unexpected way.
He revealed on the Beyond the Grid podcast that he and a group of friends have opened a bike shop just above Monaco. Yes, a bike shop. And it comes with a cafe.
“It’s a really popular area for cycling,” Bearman explained, calling the venture a passion project for everyone involved. The shop serves up its own banana bread and cakes, plus a focus on good coffee, even though Bearman admitted he personally doesn’t enjoy the drink.
“I know it’s incredibly important, and cyclists are very picky about coffee,” he said with a laugh. “What I do enjoy is the cakes, and we have good cakes. So I’m proud.”
Bearman is currently battling it out in the midfield with Haas, but his future with Ferrari’s driver academy has many pegging him as a potential successor to Lewis Hamilton one day. For now, though, he’s balancing race weekends with banana bread inventory.
Could this be the start of a new trend for F1 drivers trading supercar collections for cycling cafes?
