Oliver Bearman is a full-time Formula 1 driver for the first time in the Briton’s career after penning a multi-year contract to race for Haas beside Esteban Ocon from 2025.
The 19-year-old enjoyed his debut in the pinnacle of motorsport in 2024 as a stand-in driver for Ferrari and Haas while Bearman served as a reserve for both teams. But delivering a raft of impressive cameos and FP1 appearances sealed him a permanent promotion up from F2.
Haas even handed Bearman an initial two-year contract ahead of his home round in 2024 at the British Grand Prix. Yet he is essentially on loan from the Scuderia as a part of their driver academy. It is seen as only a matter of time before Bearman joins Ferrari once a drive opens.
Haas will make it ‘perfectly clear’ that Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon cannot crash
Nico Hulkenberg leaving Haas for Sauber as a works Audi driver opened up an F1 seat at the American team for Bearman to seize. Alpine deciding to release Ocon also created a chance for Haas to sign the Frenchman to replace Kevin Magnussen after opting against a new deal.
Ocon joins Bearman at Haas with 156 entries plus a Hungarian Grand Prix win under the 28-year-old’s belt compared to the Briton’s three starts. But he also has a bit of a reputation for colliding with his teammates in F1 after fractious pairings with Sergio Perez and Pierre Gasly.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Haas driver Oliver Bearman? Everything to know
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu is clear that he will not stand for it if Bearman and Ocon crash as teammates. The Japanese engineer will make it ‘perfectly clear’ to both before the 2025 season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 16 that collisions will not be allowed.
“The rules of engagement need to be totally clear from day one,” Komatsu said, via quotes by Motorsport.com. “So, this will be made clear before the first race. I don’t expect any contact with teammates, or retirements because of this.
“But that’s good, you have to go fast. Look at last year – Kevin is a tough driver, but the only problem was in Austria, right? But that’s partly because we didn’t operate perfectly in terms of timing the pit stops.
“We didn’t help ourselves. So, as a team, we shouldn’t create these problems. But also as a rules of engagement, they have to be perfectly clear.”
Esteban Ocon’s F1 career gives Haas good reason to fear a clash with Oliver Bearman
Komatsu will feel the Haas boss has to get ahead of any potential on-track dramas between Ocon and Bearman ahead of their first season as teammates given particularly the former’s history with Perez and Gasly. Bearman also now has a point to prove as a full-time F1 driver.
It is already thought that Haas are worried that Ocon and Bearman will clash, which was not pacified by recent comments from their team boss on the eve of the season. Komatsu fears Haas are ‘in trouble’ if Ocon and Bearman act like Mick Schumacher and Nikia Mazepin did.
After all, Ocon infamously claimed Perez ‘tried to kill me’ twice during the 2017 Belgian GP whilst teammates at Force India. Contact between teammates also cost the Frenchman his previous seat as Alpine confirmed Ocon’s exit after colliding with Gasly in Monaco last year.
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