Esteban Ocon impressed by Oliver Bearman’s driving
Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman will share the Haas garage in Formula 1 during the 2025 season. 10th in Baku with the American team, the 19-year-old Briton received praise from his future teammate.
A race with Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, another with Haas in Azerbaijan and each time, points collected. Ollie Bearman’s debut couldn’t have been more brilliant. A good omen for the American firm, which has hired the British as a full-time driver for next season.
Before collaborating with Bearman in 2025, Esteban Ocon was able to follow his future teammate’s first race weekend with Haas in Baku. The rookie has already shown all his potential for the future. When asked about Bearman, Ocon described him as a remarkable talent. He believes that the Brit will bring good experience for the team’s future development.
Maturity praised by Ocon
10th on the Baku track ahead of Nico Hülkenberg, Ollie Bearman showed great maturity throughout the weekend. Not perturbed by his crash in FP3, the Briton delivered a very clean race, finishing behind the seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton.
Esteban Ocon was impressed, without being surprised: « What Bearman did in Baku was really remarkable and I knew it. I think everyone in the paddock knew he was a remarkable talent and what he did was very impressive, to be on the pace right away on such a technical track.
A 2025 season full of promises
The two drivers will have to wait to spend time together and get to know each other. Ocon still has six Grand Prix races to do with Alpine while Bearman has resumed his duties as a reserve driver for Ferrari and will conclude his F2 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. “We will spend a lot of time together this winter and we will be able to make up for lost time, so I am not afraid of that aspect,” added the French driver.
Struggling with Alpine this season, Ocon has reason to be optimistic for next season. « It’s a good thing for him, for the team, and for me, that he can gain valuable experience before starting next season. » Despite a small workforce, the team led by Ayao Komatsu regularly manages to break into the Top 10, in a fierce competition. A Top 10 that the Normand has only experienced four times in 2024 and which he must dream of more often.
