Bearman will be driving for the Haas team, powered by Ferrari, starting from the 2025 Formula 1 season. Haas boss Aeao Komatsu has emphasized that the decision to sign Oliver Bearman was not influenced by Ferrari. The announcement was made prior to the British Grand Prix, stating that Bearman will make his F1 debut with the team next season under a multi-term contract. The 19-year-old British driver has previously participated in practice and test sessions with Haas and was highly favored for a promotion. This will be Haas’ first time running a rookie since 2021. Komatsu has expressed his admiration for Bearman’s performance during his first FP1 run with the team, praising his speed, work ethic, attitude, and ability to communicate effectively with the engineers. Bearman has shown a quick learning ability and the potential for growth. Despite his struggles in his second F2 campaign, Haas did not consider this in their decision-making process. Komatsu stated that they focused more on Bearman’s performance during the FP1 sessions and his overall capabilities.
Komatsu, who assumed control from Guenther Steiner this season, also dismissed claims that Ferrari influenced Haas into granting its Junior a permanent position in the series.
“It’s our choice. Ferrari didn’t force Ollie upon us,” he clarified.
“So, yes, Ferrari’s input and the feedback from Jeddah were interesting, and we took that into consideration. But ultimately, it was our decision. Gene Haas and I agreed that it was a good option.”
However, the Japanese engineer anticipates ongoing communication between Haas and Ferrari during Bearman’s tenure with the team to evaluate his progress.
“Yes, I believe so,” he responded when asked if he would provide feedback to Ferrari regarding Bearman. “Every now and then.
For example, during the initial test in Mexico, Ferrari requested the presence of one of our engineers who has been working with Ollie in the program to attend some of their meetings.
“I said, sure, no problem. But since then, we haven’t had anyone from Ferrari.
“But whenever I have a meeting with Fred Vasseur, if he asks questions, I certainly provide him with feedback. So, I’m sure there will be informal and occasional dialogues.”
Komatsu also clarified that Haas chose to offer Bearman a contract spanning multiple terms to ensure that he has enough time to develop in the top tier.
“I would say it’s simply a contract of multiple years,” he added.
“There’s no point in having someone for just one year, especially when they’re as young as Ollie.
“So, a minimum of two years. Therefore, it’s a contract spanning multiple years.”
Photo from Oliver Bearman Instagram
