Haas confirm first F1 driver for 2025

Haas has opted to hand Oliver Bearman a full-time F1 opportunity for 2025.

The decision by team principal Ayao Komatsu to sign the 19-year-old Briton does not come as a surprise. Bearman has proven himself to the team since the end of last season when he took part in free practice sessions in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi.

In January, Ferrari confirmed its Academy product would form part of its reserve driver line-up this year, as well as serving as a reserve at Haas. The latter also announced Bearman would take part in an additional six FP1s this year.

It was his performance for Ferrari in the Saudi Arabian GP in March, deputising for Carlos Sainz, who had contracted appendicitis and required surgery, that thrust Bearman into the mainstream and made him one for the future.

Bearman just missed out on a place in the top-10 shoot-out in qualifying, beaten by seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton by 0.036s, and was half-a-second behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in Q2.

Over the grand prix, Bearman delivered a composed drive to finish seventh ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris and Hamilton in his Mercedes.

When current Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg confirmed he would be joining Stake/Audi for next year, Bearman became the obvious choice as the replacement, with the team choosing the week of his home grand prix at Silverstone to make the announcement.

Expressing his delight at the decision, Bearman said: “It’s hard to put into words just how much this means to me. To say out loud that I will be a Formula 1 driver for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team makes me so immensely proud. 

“To be one of the very few people who get to do the thing what they dreamed of as a child is something truly incredible. 

“To Gene, Ayao and everyone at Haas, thank you for believing in me and for trusting me to represent your team. I’ve really enjoyed working with everyone since the first time we met in Mexico and I can’t wait to enjoy this moment with them and hopefully many more in the future. 

“To Fred, Marco, Jock, Alessandro and everyone at the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, quite simply, I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you for preparing me since F4 for this incredible opportunity and know I will give it everything I have.”