British driver Oliver Bearman will join the Formula 1 grid as a full-time driver from the 2025 season with Haas.
The 19-year-old has signed a “multi-year” deal with the American team and is the first driver to be confirmed in their lineup for 2025.
Bearman made his debut at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with Ferrari earlier this year after a late call-up to replace Carlos Sainz, who was suffering from appendicitis and needed treatment. He became the 776th driver in F1 history and the 97th for Ferrari, impressing by finishing in seventh place.
His performance drew the attention of the F1 world and it became only a matter of time before he was signed for a full-time seat. Bearman described the opportunity to live out his childhood dream as “incredible” in the team’s official press release.
Haas team owner explains why they signed Oliver Bearman
Alongside his F1 duties as a reserve for Ferrari, Bearman has been competing in Formula 2 with Italian outfit and defending champions Prema.
It has been a lacklustre season so far for the youngster, sitting 14th in the championship standings and having only recently taken his first win at the Austrian Sprint race.
Haas team owner, Gene Haas, explained why his results in the F1 feeder series have not been too much of a concern when deciding on whether he should be part of their driver roster.
“I’m pleased we’ve been able to give Oliver Bearman this opportunity to drive full-time in Formula 1 – he’s undoubtedly an exciting rookie prospect, not just based on what he showed in Saudi Arabia but also through his time developing his relationship with our team,” said Haas.
“I’m personally excited to see how he grows as a driver, and we look forward to seeing him deliver for Haas F1 Team next season and beyond. This is an exciting time for the team. Oliver’s signing shows we continue to invest in talent – both on and off-track – as we continue to compete at the highest level.”
Oliver Bearman impressed outside of junior catagories
Although Bearman has not won a championship in junior formula categories since his dominant title-winning 2021 season in Italian F4, the Briton has impressed F1 teams elsewhere with his ability and maturity.
His debut with Ferrari was not the result of haste decisions being made in a time of crisis, but rather a measured approach based on data they had received from his sessions in the simulator and during test-sessions.
Head of Ferrari’s Driver Academy, Jock Clear, noted how he had “never seen anything like” Bearman when he seemingly produced a ‘plug-and-play’ weekend at Jeddah. The high-speed street circuit is one of the toughest on the F1 calendar, largely due to the many opportunities drivers have to crash over the course of 27 corners.
Add in the climate in Saudi Arabia where the average temperatures are around 20°C at night and it is a very tough ask for someone to jump into. But Bearman impressed, almost immediately getting to grips with the SF-24 in the practice sessions before producing an eye-catching qualifying and race performance.
Haas also ran Bearman during several FP1 outings this season along with simulator sessions, giving them further opportunity to assess whether he would be the right fit for the team. Team principal Ayao Komatsu noted how he has “developed into an incredibly mature driver” and that he has been “more than ready for the task” during their practice outings.
From the offset, it seems like it was always a foregone conclusion that he would get a seat and now the search intensifies for his teammate. Esteban Ocon is the most likely candidate after severing ties with Alpine, but Carlos Sainz is still available having yet to make a decision on his future.
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