F1: Ferrari Protege Oliver Bearman Joins Haas, Signs Multi-Year Deal

Ferrari's young driver, Oliver Bearman, has secured a Haas F1 contract for 2025 ahead of his home British Grand Prix. This exciting news comes just before his home race in Britain, adding an extra layer of anticipation for the British crowd. Bearman's impressive Formula 1 debut in Saudi Arabia, where he snagged a surprising seventh-place finish for Ferrari as a last-minute replacement for Carlos Sainz, all but sealed the deal.  Haas has also been impressed by Bearman's performance during multiple practice sessions throughout the year, along with his string of victories in Formula 2. The American team is clearly confident that this talented young Briton has all the makings of a future star in Formula 1.

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Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu said: 'It’s an exciting thing to be able to give a young driver as talented as Oliver Bearman his first full-time seat in Formula 1. He’s developed into an incredibly mature driver under the guidance of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy and the world saw that for themselves 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 for 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’s a great guy and a very welcome addition to the team when he joins us for the FP1 weekends. Now we know that relationship is going to be longer-term, it’s a positive thing for all concerned.'

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Oliver 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.'

Haas has announced Bearman for next season, but their search for his teammate continues. Alpine's Esteban Ocon is a top choice, but Williams is also after him. Valtteri Bottas is another possibility, while current Haas driver Kevin Magnussen is driving hard to impress and earn a contract renewal.