Is Oliver Bearman the future of Haas?
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has admitted he “can’t really fault” Oliver Bearman after a composed performance in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix practice at Imola on Friday.
Bearman made himself a serious contender for an F1 2025 seat by impressing in a one-race cameo for Ferrari at this season’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where he deputised for an unwell Carlos Sainz.
Oliver Bearman destined for F1 2025 Haas seat?
Bearman received the call just before the final practice session in Jeddah, yet he impressed on his F1 debut and earned the Driver of the Day accolade by finishing in seventh place.
Bearman – who previously participated in two F1 2023 practice sessions for Haas in Mexico and Abu Dhabi – was back behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time since the Saudi Arabian GP in FP1 at Imola, where he drove in place of Kevin Magnussen.
The teenager made a great impression in the opening practice session, ranking 15th ahead of Williams, Sauber, and regular Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg. This performance led Komatsu to highly praise the young driver.
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When questioned about Bearman’s performance in FP1, Komatsu informed Formula 1 that it was “excellent, much like his performances in the previous two sessions last year.”
I can’t really fault him for this morning’s session, once again.
What makes him exceptional is his combination of speed, physical prowess, and remarkable comprehension of the larger context and objectives he must fulfill.
“He comprehends the significance of a session within the framework of a race weekend, the value of each run and lap, and he exhibits remarkable swiftness in enhancing his skills and acquiring knowledge from his errors.”
Once again, he completed a satisfactory run on soft tires and followed it up with an impressive run on high fuel, making it another highly productive session for him.
Bearman expressed his satisfaction with his performance in FP1.
“The session was slightly shorter due to the red flag caused by Alex Albon’s stoppage, but I am pleased with how quickly I adapted to the car. Participating in FP1 in F2 greatly assisted me in making that progress swiftly.”
“I believe that our diligent efforts behind the scenes are yielding positive results, as I already felt remarkably at ease in the car and in my environment from the initial laps.”
“The long run was also successful, and the car feels like a significant improvement from last year.”
“I feel a sense of pride in the team’s accomplishments this season, and I am eagerly looking forward to joining them once more.”
Last month, Hulkenberg made an announcement stating his intention to join Sauber/Audi for F1 2025. This decision will result in a vacant spot alongside Magnussen at Haas.
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