The British driver made his Formula 1 debut with Ferrari at this season’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, stepping in for Carlos Sainz.
After months of speculation following an impressive debut in Saudi Arabia, Oliver Bearman has been confirmed as a driver for the 2025 Formula 1 season with Haas.
Bearman stepped in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari after the Spanish driver withdrew due to appendicitis and secured an impressive seventh-place finish. The 19-year-old has signed a ‘multi-year contract’ with Haas, becoming the fourth British driver on the grid alongside Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Lando Norris. Although Alex Albon was born in Britain, he races under the Thai flag.
Currently racing in Formula 2 for Prema Racing, Bearman recently secured his first win of the season in Austria. He is familiar with Haas, having joined the team as a reserve driver in January while also holding a similar role at Ferrari. Bearman participated in two FP1 sessions for Haas in Mexico and Abu Dhabi in 2023 and has six FP1 sessions under his belt in 2024.
“It’s exciting to give a young driver as talented as Oliver Bearman his first full-time seat in Formula 1,” said Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of Haas F1 team. “He has developed into an incredibly mature driver under the guidance of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, and the world saw that when he was called in at the last minute to compete at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Oliver proved he was more than ready for the task, and we’ve seen that ourselves running him in the Haas cars in our FP1 sessions over the past two seasons. We’re looking forward to further developing him as a driver and reaping the benefits of his talent—both inside and outside of the car. Oliver is a great guy and a very welcome addition to the team. Now that we know this relationship is going to be longer-term, it’s a positive thing for all concerned.”
“It’s hard to put into words just how much this means to me,” said Bearman. “To say out loud that I will be a Formula 1 driver for Haas makes me immensely proud. Being one of the very few people who get to live their childhood dream is truly incredible.”
Ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Haas is currently seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, while drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are 12th and 16th, respectively.
Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: Scuderia Ferrari
