F1 news outlets took note of Oliver Bearman’s strong FP1 debut with Haas. The US team is singing a similar tune, already looking forward to further track time with the British driver.
Last weekend saw a total of five rookie drivers compete with different teams in Practice 1. Whilst all of them completed the session without major hiccups, most agreed that Oliver Bearman was the biggest highlight from the group of young talents.
The 18-year-old was the fastest rookie on the timing sheets, just three-tenths behind the ever-reliable Nico Hulkenberg. This year’s Haas VF-23 is certainly not the easiest to drive on the 2023 grid – but Bearman was only 1.6 seconds behind Verstappen at the chequered flag.
Having secured several victories in Formula 2 this year, the British driver is a favourite to contend for the Championship next season. Without jumping too far into the future, it is easy to see why teams like Haas will keep him firmly on their radar.
Haas full of praise for Bearman
Again, making predictions about the 2025 F1 grid requires tremendous guesswork and extrapolation. Still, speaking after Bearman’s debut, Haas was very enthusiastic about what they saw:
“I don’t think you can fault him,” said Ayao Komatsu – trackside engineering director at Haas – as quoted by Formula Scout.
“All the way from the initial preparation, he’s been very professional, very, very easy to deal with in every single process. I have nothing to complain [about].
“Then today, with the calmness, procedures he understood. He understood the objectives of every single run. We [have] got another session planned with him in Abu Dhabi. So really looking forward to that.
“And then, hopefully, more sessions next year as well. So it’s very promising.”
Traditionally, Haas doesn’t have the best history with rookie drivers. Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher – due to various factors – didn’t last very long in Guenther Steiner’s team.
Moreover, their current lineup of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen deserves tremendous praise. This experienced duo have kept Haas alive in the F1 constructors, which (based on the VF-23’s race pace) is a commendable feat.
Potential opportunities
Haas’ decision to pursue this established line-up reinforces their general hesitance to promote youngsters. With that said, Bearman will certainly be in contention moving forward.
As a member of Ferrari’s driver academy, he will certainly be supported if he executes well in 2024. Unlike Pourchaire and Felipe Drugovich, the 18-year-old can be relatively confident about his demand in Formula 1 if he fights for the F2 title.
Again, it is important to stress that an F1 seat is far from guaranteed for the youngster. There is still a long way to go, especially given the unpredictability that next year’s driver market promises. With that said, there are plausible entry routes onto the F1 grid.
Haas was somewhat hesitant to extend Kevin Magnussen earlier this year, whilst Nico Hulkenberg has attracted interest from Sauber/Alfa Romeo. In a sport where timing is so important, there could be an opportunity for Bearman to capitalise on – provided he proves himself in Formula 2.
If the last twelve months are anything to go off (including his FP1 debut), he is someone to watch.
