Oliver Bearman back at the wheel of the Haas in Barcelona
The American team's reserve driver will take the wheel of the VF-24 during the first free practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix.
After a stopover in the Americas for the Canadian Grand Prix, Formula 1 is back in Europe on a circuit it knows by heart, Barcelona having been the scene of winter testing for many seasons.
After nine races, Haas F1 is currently 7th in the constructors’ championship and consistently positions itself as a contender for points, thanks in particular to Nico Hülkenberg, who will leave the American team at the end of the season to join the Sauber/Audi project.
In Spain, the German driver will have to wait before taking to the track. He will indeed leave his seat to the reserve driver Oliver Bearman, for whom it will be the second of the six official testing sessions that Haas has planned to grant him this season. The English driver had already taken part in the first free practice session in Imola in May.
In the press release from Haas presenting the Catalan race, the Team Principal of the American team Ayao Komatsu takes the opportunity to announce some developments on the two white and black cars.
« Spain is the first circuit where we are introducing specific developments for high-speed corners. So we are looking forward to evaluating them on this track and seeing how they perform. Oliver Bearman will be with us for FP1, this time replacing Nico, so he can continue where he left off at Imola.
The Spanish Grand Prix is the first of a series of three consecutive Grand Prix races that will then take the paddock to Austria and Great Britain. The Japanese leader is counting on this challenge to help the team improve operationally.
« A hat-trick of races is always complicated. Fortunately, several teams are based in Great Britain where the third race will take place, which will help us all, but it remains very difficult. We are at a point in the season where we are starting to feel the effects of the back-to-back races, so it is very important to take care of ourselves to give our best, be efficient and focused, especially when trackside operations have not been perfect in the last two events. We cannot let that happen, so we need to see how we can improve. »
Therefore, see you on Friday during the first practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix to see Oliver Bearman in action, as he is the top contender to become a Haas driver in 2025.
