Ever since Oliver Bearman got behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time, filling in for Carlos Sainz, the Briton looked like he belonged on the big stage. Bearman got two more opportunities to race in the 2024 season, albeit in a relatively underpowered Haas car.
Azerbaijan GP, the first of those opportunities, was enough to prove to Ayao Komatsu that his future driver was a special talent. Bearman qualified P11, ahead of his veteran teammate Nico Hulkenberg in P13.
While the flying lap that earned Bearman that place on the starting grid was impressive, the circumstances in which he achieved it made it even more special. The then 18-year-old had to put behind the woes of his heavy crash in FP3 to excel in qualifying.
Later, he displayed yet another moment of brilliance by out-smarting Hulkenberg in the race to overtake him on the last lap. “The second stint was great. He already made an improvement, learning from his first stint. This is what I mean by he’s a fast learner, right“, said Komatsu on the Pelas Pistas Podcast.
“Then when that crash [between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz] happened towards the end of the race with the yellow sectors, he had a very clear-minded calmness where as soon as the yellow sector finished, he pushed, as you should. It’s easier said than done. Then Nico wasn’t on there, so he just overtook Nico and scored a point,” Komatsu further explained.
| Ollie: “I’m looking forward to drive in Suzuka with SFormula car. Suzuka is one of the first tracks we will race on next season, so driving here will be of great help. Thanks to Komatsu, MoneyGram Haas F1 and KCMG for their support” #SFormula https://t.co/ttou6lXyy7
— Ollie Bearman Updates (@bestofbearman) December 9, 2024
What impressed Komatsu more was the presence of mind Bearman had in the moment, that even his “seasoned veteran” teammate did not. Although the Haas boss acknowledged that Hulkenberg may have been facing an issue with his car, he yet believes that the way Bearman “just took that one opportunity” spoke volumes of his ability to sense an opportunity and capitalize on it.
Komatsu was impressed with Bearman’s understanding of the “bigger picture”
Haas successfully turned their fortunes around in 2024 under Komatsu’s leadership. The new manager saw his team miss an outstanding P6 finish in the standings by just seven points, a year after finishing the season at the bottom. He credited Hulkenberg’s inputs on the car as being majorly responsible for the turnaround.
Unfortunately, Komatsu failed to retain the German for the 2025 season. The Japanese engineer is not too bothered, though, as he trusts Esteban Ocon to play that role for the team despite the Frenchman being nine years younger than Hulkenberg. Bearman, on the other hand, would be busy learning the tricks of the trade in his rookie season.
Komatsu, however, believes the Briton is up for more, given his progress with the team so far. “Ollie Bearman, we’ve been working with him since Mexico last year,” he revealed. “He’s got the speed. But what is most impressive is his ability to understand the bigger picture, cognitive ability, ready to understand what role he needs to play.”
Despite early signs of brilliance, Haas has taken a big risk in fielding a fresh driver lineup. The team may have momentum on their side but they cannot let teething issues with new drivers let it slip. This could be one of many factors that make Haas the team to watch out for in the new season.
