Many challenges ahead for Bearman in Baku

Bearman’s debut at Haas in F1 will therefore take place as planned. Confirmed by the American team for 2025 just before the British Grand Prix weekend, the British driver will replace Danish Kevin Magnussen, suspended for one race for reaching the penalty points limit following a new contact with Pierre Gasly during the Monza race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

An opportunity not necessarily ideal for Bearman

It will be his second race in Formula 1 this season, he who had replaced Carlos Sainz abruptly, who was a victim of appendicitis, during the weekend in Saudi Arabia. Although Bearman appreciates this new opportunity, he is aware that the challenges will be numerous, as he will be able to lead a full race weekend program for the first time.

The Prema driver, who had a perfect weekend at the Baku circuit in 2023 by winning both races, during the sprint race and the main race, nevertheless admitted that this Grand Prix will not be easy to prepare due to the difficulty of the layout where mistakes can happen quickly. « It is certainly more difficult to race as a reserve driver, with limited preparation time, etc.,” admitted the Briton, who affirms, however, that his experience in Jeddah and the multiple free practice sessions carried out with the Haas team should help him feel more comfortable behind the wheel.

Experience gained at the wheel of several Formula 1 cars

But I’m lucky to have done it earlier in the year with Scuderia Ferrari, so I can at least rely on that experience. I have also already completed four free practice sessions with Haas F1 at the wheel of the VF-24 this season, so it will undoubtedly also prove valuable for approaching the full race weekend in Baku. Bearman has indeed already been able to discover the car in real conditions during the races in Imola, Barcelona, Silverstone, and finally in Budapest.

At Silverstone, the Formula 2 driver had also taken part in two days of Pirelli testing. A knowledge of current single-seaters that will be of great help to him on a circuit like Baku, especially since the dynamics are quite different from what he had experienced at Ferrari.

Different goals for Haas

In Saudi Arabia, when he took Sainz’s place, Ferrari was Red Bull’s main rival, which had just scored a one-two in Bahrain. Nevertheless, the Austrian team seemed unbeatable, which made his weekend a little easier since there was no target result to achieve, he simply had to gain experience. He still allowed Ferrari to score six points thanks to his seventh place in the race. At Haas, the situation will be quite different as the American team is fighting Racing Bulls for sixth place in the constructors’ championship, and any good performance from Bearman will be welcome, which inevitably adds more pressure to the British driver who must achieve a good result.

In parallel, his adaptation to driving a Haas will inevitably have to be taken into account, he who has often piloted single-seaters capable of fighting for victories and titles in junior categories, which will not be the case next week in Baku. The American team will inevitably take advantage of this to observe his ability to compete in the middle of the pack, a situation very different from fighting for the top positions. An experience that will also serve him next year for his first full season in Formula 1. Finally, the performances between F2 and F1 in terms of aerodynamics and engine are very different, which should make Bearman’s task even more complicated.

A good result to confirm his talent

However, if he manages to impress his team despite all these obstacles and allow them to score points, it could benefit his career in the long term, highlighting his adaptability skills. Ayao Komatsu, the boss of Haas, explained that the Brit fits perfectly with the team’s ambitions and is delighted to already be able to work with him. « It’s an excellent opportunity for Ollie and the team to work together. He has an excellent teammate in Nico [Hülkenberg] to serve as a reference. »

His first race with Haas will be interesting to watch, especially in comparison with his teammate but also with Esteban Ocon, the Alpine driver, who will become Bearman’s teammate at Haas in 2025.