A crazy last few months for Oliver Bearman
Freshly recruited by Haas for 2025, the young British driver only learned a few days before the official announcement that he would be signing for the American team. A stressful wait for him as he awaits his consecration: he will indeed be in Formula 1 next year.
A new British driver will join the grid next year. Ollie Bearman, currently in Formula 2 with Prema and a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, has signed with Haas for 2025 to replace Nico Hülkenberg, who will in turn join Sauber and Audi’s project.
Despite a difficult season in Formula 2 (he is only in 13th place in the championship), his move up to F1 was only a matter of time and was officially announced last Thursday by the team manager, Ayao Komatsu, who expresses high hopes for the Prema driver.
« Ollie [Bearman] is obviously a very talented young driver with a very strong head on his shoulders. He is very calm but mature, he has the speed, and he is a very good team player. This is how we want to progress as a team, this is what I mean by a perfect partnership.
An appointment that left little room for doubt but still had to be confirmed, particularly for the main person concerned, who had been in discussions with the American team for several weeks and was waiting for the final decision.
« It took time. In F1, nothing is confirmed until the document is signed, and it was actually Wednesday morning. I was overwhelmed with emotions [when he signed his contract]. I think about all the moments I have experienced in my career since day one, the number of hours I have spent working, all those rainy days in karting. It was all worth it, he particularly stated on the F1 website.
Knowing his future is now secure for many years, the British will be able to approach the rest of his season with confidence and show Haas management that they made the right choice in signing him.
« This gives me a lot of confidence. This vote of confidence is really important. It will help me learn throughout my rookie season and learn as much as possible and prepare for the future. And I can’t wait to get started. I have plenty of time to prepare and lots to do. I want to improve my technical knowledge of F1. Bringing myself up to speed in this area can help me improve my performances on track, “Bearman added.
In the meantime, Bearman will have the opportunity to gain experience as he will again have three more free practice sessions for the Gene Haas team. An essential opportunity to seize in order to best prepare for his arrival in Formula 1. However, he still needs to focus on Formula 2, where he is currently experiencing a difficult season. This transfer to Haas could therefore offer him an extra boost of motivation and help him finish the season on a high note.
