Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu does not rule out Oliver Bearman making the move to Ferrari in the long term, and even emphasizes that the team should be satisfied with that. The young Brit has made a strong impression since his breakthrough and is increasingly mentioned as a possible future Ferrari driver. Bearman is still part of Ferrari’s driver academy and already made his debut for the Scuderia in 2024 during a substitute appearance for Carlos Sainz.
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When Sainz suffered from appendicitis during the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP, Bearman – a Formula 2 driver at the time – was called up to replace him. As a substitute, he immediately finished in the top 10 for the Italians. In his second season at Haas, he has already collected more points than the more experienced Esteban Ocon; strong performances in Australia and China have only further strengthened his status within the Ferrari ranks. Do they fear his departure at Haas? On the contrary, according to team principal Ayao Komatsu, the team is primarily focused on developing Bearman’s talent, and a promotion to Ferrari would actually be a victory for the team.
‘Enormous potential’
In the Beyond the Grid podcast, the Japanese explained that he remains level-headed amidst the growing speculation surrounding Bearman. “He has enormous potential,” Komatsu admitted. “There is no point in worrying about his eventual departure. I strongly believe that you should focus on what you can control. Ferrari has been investing in him for years. We have already had him in our service last year and this year. And if we have done a good job with Ollie (Bearman, ed.) and he performs so well that Ferrari wants him, then we should be satisfied that we have done our job well. We must concentrate on our own work,” he concluded.
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It is no secret that talks are ongoing between Haas and Ferrari about Bearman’s future, but details remain behind closed doors. Komatsu confirms that this dialogue exists but keeps the focus on the present. “Yes, but that is just a conversation between us and Ferrari,” he responded when asked. “We are all focused on getting the best performance out of the car and out of Ollie. That could mean we lose him next year. Of course, we hope not, but ultimately we have no control over it.”
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