Haas feared the Spanish Grand Prix would be a tough task and their concerns proved real, as Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman both finished at the very back of the pack.
No driver would take the chequered flag at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya behind Ocon last Sunday, when Bearman fell to the rear of the field following his 10-second time penalty. The Briton had initially finished the Spanish GP in P13, but would drop behind Ocon to 17th.
Only at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Ocon finished P18, has the Frenchman had a worse result since swapping Alpine for Haas for the 2025 F1 season. Bearman matched his career-worst result in Barcelona, as well, as the 20-year-old came 17th at Imola two rounds earlier.
Bearman felt Haas left him running ‘blind’ in Spain after modifying the rookie’s set-up ahead of qualifying. The American crew overhauled his set-up, but he could only qualify in P15 and Ocon bowed out during Q1 in P17. It was just the third time in 2025 that Bearman made Q2.
Oliver Bearman ‘brutally’ proved Haas’ long-radius corner concerns at the Spanish Grand Prix
Ocon and Bearman’s woes at the Spanish GP also ‘brutally’ proved Haas’ fears that their car could struggle in the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya’s long-radius corners. That is according to Auto Motor und Sport, which reports the VF-25 loses downforce and time in longer turns.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Haas driver Oliver Bearman? Everything to know
| Position | Constructors’ Standings | Points |
| 1 |
McLaren Racing |
362 |
| 2 |
Scuderia Ferrari |
165 |
| 3 |
Mercedes-AMG Petronas |
159 |
| 4 |
Red Bull Racing |
144 |
| 5 |
Williams F1 Team |
54 |
| 6 |
Racing Bulls |
28 |
| 7 |
Haas F1 Team |
26 |
| 8 |
Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber |
16 |
| 9 |
Aston Martin F1 Team |
16 |
| 10 |
Alpine F1 Team |
11 |
Haas’ plight also persisted through all three sectors of the Montmelo circuit, leading directly to Bearman and Ocon’s lack of pace. So, the American outfit now plan to react before the F1 season hits pause over the summer break following the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 1-3.
The VF-25’s problems at the Spanish GP have convinced Haas to deliver another upgrade for Bearman and Ocon’s cars at some point over the next five rounds. Haas’ failure to score any points in Barcelona also saw Racing Bulls jump them in the F1 constructors’ standings.
Racing Bulls have jumped Haas for sixth place in the F1 constructors’ championship
Bearman’s fellow F2 graduate Isack Hadjar secured seventh place in the Spanish GP to score six points, which lifted Racing Bulls above Haas into sixth in the constructors’ championship by two points. The Faenza outfit now have 28 for the term so far to the American crew’s 26.
READ MORE: All to know about Haas F1 Team from team principal to Ferrari and Toyota ties
Haas have even only scored points in one of the past five rounds with Ocon’s P7 in Monaco, where Hadjar and Liam Lawson both finished in the top 10 to each score Racing Bulls eight and four points. Bearman has not scored any points since his P10 in the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Points were not even on offer before Bearman was punished in the Spanish GP after leaving the track and gaining an advantage while fighting Lawson over P11 on Lap 31 of 66. He was running in just P14, while Ocon was also in P11, during the safety car restart on L61, as well.
