Ollie Bearman may have arrived as a stand-in for an ailing Carlos Sainz, but he has left a lasting impact. Experts are discussing if the Briton deserves a seat in F1 next season. However, reports suggest that there already was an opportunity for him to join Haas in 2024. Ferrari decided against the move, as the all-American team had an abysmal 2023.
Barring Red Bull and Aston Martin, virtually every team had a slow start to the 2023 season. However, as the season progressed, most of those teams were able to find the right path for development. Haas, unfortunately, wasn’t one of them. The team failed to find the right concept and, consequently, finished at the bottom of the table. That, as per an AMuS report, quoted by @Vetteleclerc on X, acted as the deterrent for Ferrari to send their academy talent.
There is, however, a more than likely chance that Bearman could get his F1 break in 2025. Surprisingly, that break is also slated to come through Haas. Sauber, awaiting rebranding to Audi in 2026, is reportedly interested in signing Nico Hulkenberg in 2025. Kevin Magnussen, on the other hand, does not have a guarantee for a seat in 2025. The Dane will have to prove his worth to Haas to continue driving for them.
Another factor that bodes well for Ollie Bearman is how highly team principal Ayao Komatsu rates him. The 48-year-old lauded Bearman’s ability to adapt to the car after just one practice session on a difficult Jeddah circuit. Komatsu also remarked that the Ferrari prodigy deserves a regular seat next season.
Why Ollie Bearman should aim for the Haas seat
Ideally, Ferrari is the natural destination for a driver who is a product of their academy. However, the Prancing Horse has signed Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 season. While neither party has cleared the duration of the contract, it would be safe to assume it is a multi-year deal. Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, is a Ferrari-nurtured talent, who is going nowhere anytime soon. Therefore, Bearman should grab onto any opportunity that comes his way.
That is, at least until Hamilton bids adieu to Ferrari. Meanwhile, Red Bull taskmaster Helmut Marko has questioned the Maranello management’s decision to sign Hamilton when they had a talent like Bearman in the waiting. The octogenarian has urged team principal Frederic Vasseur to find the 18-year-old a seat elsewhere.
2024 started as the first-ever F1 season to not have a rookie driver on the grid. While much of it stems from the need for the teams to ensure stability, there does seem to be an aversion to bringing in untested talent as well. Hopefully, the stints served by the likes of Liam Lawson and Ollie Bearman, however short they may have been, can help break that mindset.
