Oliver Bearman is ready to make a return to the F1 circuit. This time, it is the all-American team Haas that will field him. The Briton will feature for the first Free Practice session at the upcoming race weekend at Imola. Haas will vacate Nico Hulkenberg’s seat to give the Ferrari Driver Academy prodigy a crucial test before a possible promotion.
Bearman earlier featured at the Saudi Arabian GP when he replaced an ailing Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard underwent appendicitis surgery shortly after completing the first two practice sessions in Jeddah on Friday.
Bearman got a call just hours before the third practice session to take over Sainz’s seat. The 19-year-old qualified P11 on Saturday and delivered an impressive P7 finish in the race ahead of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
Next week Nico Hulkenberg will sit out FP1 and watch British driver Oliver Bearman pilot his Haas around the iconic Italian circuit. You’ll likely remember that Oliver drove Carlos’ Ferrari back in Saudi Arabia in March where he impressed many. Is he a chance for a seat in the… pic.twitter.com/ljHEjbzPNy
— Kym Illman (@KymIllman) May 10, 2024
Ever since that performance, Oliver Bearman has garnered high praise from the paddock. Among those who felt he deserved a regular seat in the premier class in 2025 was Haas boss Ayao Komatsu.
As per Motorsport, Komatsu said, “This circuit is not the easiest circuit to jump in from FP3. So I’m very, very happy for him and [he was] impressive.” He added, “He deserves a chance next year, I guess.”
Call it coincidence or aligning of the stars but Haas has emerged as the favorite destination for Bearman. Nico Hulkenberg announced his move to Sauber in 2025 earlier last month. Hulkenberg will stay with the team through Audi’s takeover in 2026. Thus, his seat at Haas could turn out to be a massive opportunity for Bearman.
Is Oliver Bearman really ready for the F1 challenge?
Oliver Bearman is currently competing in F1’s feeder series, Formula 2. With just two points to his name in three fixtures, he is currently stationed 19th in the drivers’ standings. That, however, may not be the correct assessment of the Prema driver.
Bearman took pole position in Jeddah before receiving the call to replace Carlos Sainz in F1. The Briton missed out on the chance to take a win, owing to the Ferrari duties.
: Ayao Komatsu emphasizes that Oliver Bearman’s performances in FP1 sessions for the team will carry more weight than his results in F2 when considering whether to offer him an F1 seat for next season. Despite Bearman’s impressive debut in Saudi Arabia and his scheduled FP1… pic.twitter.com/JxGfkUS1AB
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) May 8, 2024
Realizing how big of a personal loss it was for him and his F2 campaign, Bearman called for the media to take the spotlight off him in the aftermath of his impressive drive in F1.
Speaking with BBC, he said, “The thing is you are only as good as your last race. So in a week’s time or two weeks’ time, all this will be forgotten. And I will be judged on my previous F2 race. That is my main focus.”
