Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League has been the subject of much speculation regarding the 2025 Haas Formula 1 team line-up. Ollie Bearman’s place in the team has been widely assumed, but the identity of his teammate has remained uncertain. Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas have both been considered for the position, with Carlos Sainz being the deciding factor.
Sainz’s decision will determine which seats are available for Ocon and Bottas. However, their options are not identical. Ocon is not a contender for Alpine, the team he will be leaving at the end of the year, while Bottas is eager to move on from Sauber/Audi. Both drivers are in the running for a seat at Williams, but Bottas is seen as the frontrunner. Sauber/Audi, on the other hand, does not appear to be in a rush to secure Ocon as a backup option if they miss out on Sainz.
This is why Haas is seen as the most likely destination for Ocon. However, if Bottas, Sainz, and Ocon all secure seats at Alpine, Audi, and Williams respectively, Haas may have no choice but to retain Kevin Magnussen. This would be a disappointment for Haas, as the other available options are upgrades on a driver they are familiar with. The choice of Bearman’s teammate is important for both the driver and the team.
Haas is currently performing well in the midfield, but losing Nico Hulkenberg has left a gap that needs to be filled. While Bearman is expected to be a strong driver, he cannot lead the midfield fight on his own. He will need support from a teammate who can consistently score points and push him to maximize the car’s potential week after week. This is the role Hulkenberg played for Haas, as Magnussen was not able to fully exploit the car’s capabilities. Bringing in a driver like Bottas or Ocon would be an upgrade, although not at the level of the top-tier drivers.
If Magnussen remains with Haas, it would be a missed opportunity for a refreshed line-up and an overall improvement. However, his experience would provide a counterbalance to rookie Bearman and serve as a benchmark for his performance. While Magnussen is not a superstar, he is a known quantity and better than a weak F1 driver. This sets a clear target for Bearman to be taken seriously from 2025 onwards.
Bearman will undoubtedly be determined to outperform his teammate, but the caliber of that teammate will shape the narrative surrounding his performance and how teams like Haas and Ferrari evaluate him.
