Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu has explained how Esteban Ocon is “setting the benchmark” for his rookie Formula 1 team-mate Oliver Bearman.

After two seasons with Grand Prix veterans, Haas has an all-new driver line-up for 2025 in Ocon and Bearman.

The duo is an exciting partnership for Haas, a proven winner eager for further success and an exciting rookie who stunned the world during his stand-in appearances last season.

Reflecting on their integration at Haas during pre-season testing, Komatsu revealed to select media including Motorsport Week how Ocon is setting a great example to Bearman.

“Yeah, it’s [been] really good, really good,” Komatsu said of working with his new drivers.

“Esteban’s exactly what we expected. He’s really determined, motivated, has attention to detail, working really hard with engineers. 

“[He’s] very, very easy to work with and very precise. And also the tyre management, he’s very good, [with] really good experience.

“So it’s really good that he’s kind of like setting the benchmark for Ollie in that respect. 

“Even the qualifying simulation, you saw how strong Ollie was last year in qualifying, but even then, with the new car, adapting to it, et cetera, it’s really good to have somebody like Esteban to set the benchmark.”

Ocon and Bearman ‘collaborating’ well

Komatsu didn’t stop short of just praising Ocon and hailed the approach that Bearman has applied to the step up to a permanent race drive in F1.

The Briton has the benefit of two Grands Prix and multiple FP1 appearances with Haas last year and Komatsu has enjoyed working with his rookie star,

“Ollie, again, is very good to work with,” he said.

“He’s a positive guy and then, again, hardworking, very, very open.”

Speaking of his team-mate ahead of the F1 75 season launch event, Bearman said “It’s been nice to get to know [Ocon].

“He’s of course got a lot of experience in F1 that I can take and learn from, so I’m excited for our season together.”

Of the duo’s relationship together, Komatsu added that “both of them just are collaborating very well as well.

“So far, it’s been really nice, really nice.”

With Haas widely expected to be at the forefront of F1’s midfield in 2025, having drivers in harmony will be key to the team’s success.

Both Hulkenberg and Magnussen played the team game well in 2024 and the word from Haas’ boss suggests that trend is set to continue with the team’s new line-up.

READ MORE – Haas’ line-up pits experience versus youth with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman

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A new documentary produced by Formula 1 dubbed ‘Rookies’ has allowed viewers to gain extra insight into the series’ newest drivers.

After 2024 saw the same 20 drivers carried over from the year before in the same seats for the first time in F1 series history, 2025 has seen a dramatic swing back in the opposite direction and this new documentary on F1TV celebrates just that.

Produced and directed by Rory Child, ‘Rookies’ is a 50-minute documentary taking audiences behind the scenes to learn more about F1’s five newbies joining the 2025 grid.

The young men in question are Haas’ Oliver Bearman, Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Alpine’s Jack Doohan, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls‘ Isack Hadjar.

Child guides the viewer through the experiences of each rookie throughout 2024, the pivotal year for all five of F1s newcomers and a series of talking heads including renowned commentator Alex Jacques and F2 & F3 CEO Bruno Michel compliment on-track footage and interviews with the five drivers themselves.

The doc opens with Jacques in voice-over, saying “A new generation is about to burst onto the Formula 1 scene,” before introducing our rookies in a series of action shots and interview snippets, interspersed with commentary from the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff and George Russell in a glitzy introduction.

Throughout, Jacques plays a familiar role in the documentary, one which Will Buxton performs in Netflix’s Drive to Survive, navigating the novice viewer through the intricacies of the single-seater pyramid.

Michel then hails the recent impact of F1 teams operating driver academies in junior formula and it is at this point we are introduced to the first of our five rookies: Bearman.

Here the framework for the doc is laid out, repeated with the remaining four rookies. 

We see the stories of how the rookies landed their F1 promotions, and what motivates them, but more importantly, we learn a bit more about their character from those around them.

Bearman performs best under pressure

So, what did we learn about Bearman?

Perhaps the best man to comment on Haas’ latest acquisition is his father David, who says “Whenever Ollie has been given that moment and when it has been time to perform, he’s stepped up. He’s stepped up every time and that’s incredible to watch.”

Bearman had to step during Round 2 of the 2024 F1 season to replace appendicitis-suffering Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Jeddah and he was able to jump in at the 11th hour and score points in seventh place. 

“I always found with Ollie if you put him under pressure he performs even better,” says his father.

Bearman acknowledged that the race in Jeddah “changed his life,” with F2 CEO Michel adding it “helped” open the door for more rookies to get their opportunities.

‘Fierce’ Antonelli is the long-term future for Mercedes

18-year-old Antonelli was another of the most talked about names last year in F2, having bypassed F3 to make his debut in the series.

The hype around the young Italian is now reaching an astronomical level as Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes.

Antonelli has long been a part of the Mercedes family, with Driver Development Advisor Gwen Lagrue pointing out he scouted the young Italian when he was just 11 years old, noting“He was already quite special” at that stage.

As the man who identified his talent, Lagrue is a great candidate to explain why Antonelli is so highly regarded.

Mercedes Team Principal Wolff says in the documentary “We expect difficult moments. With Kimi, we can see because of his upbringing, his background, his family, also being a part of our family for a long time he’s fierce.”

A crash during his FP1 debut with Mercedes at Monza perhaps characterised the ferocity Wolff credits Antonelli with possessing.

“There’s no doubt he has the talent, the ability, the skills and now it’s about allowing him the space to grow up within this crazy, tough, ruthless environment,” adds Wolff.

What is clear is that Mercedes and Antonelli aim to be together for the long haul with the Italian calling Wolff a “second dad to me” and the Austrian saying “we will protect him, we will allow him to grow. Kimi is the long-term future of the team.”

Doohan is driven to succeed

Doohan is unique among the five rookies in two ways.

First, he is the only one who didn’t have a full-time racing programme in 2024, instead acting as Alpine’s reserve driver.

Second, he is the only one who can call five-time MotoGP champion Mick Doohan his father.

“It’s very rewarding to see him [succeed] because he’s the one who asked me if he won another championship in Australia if I’d take him to Europe go-karting,” says Doohan senior.

“He was the one who wanted to do that and then it has been a ride from there and the drive and the determination that he’s had. So to see it actually pay off is so rewarding as a father.

“I know that he’s fully immersed himself into the team, into the sim work, he’s been doing plenty of mileage in the older cars so he’s embraced that and I think that’s the thing he knows if he wanted to go to the next level he needs to put in that groundwork. 

“I’m not just saying that as a father, I’m saying that as someone who’s had that mindset himself and I can see it in Jack. Sure I’ve given him some guidance but he’s got that drive and dedication himself.”

Bortoleto has the ‘soft skills to succeed in F1

Bortoleto graduates to F1 in the exclusive club of drivers to win the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships in consecutive rookie seasons.

That granted the former McLaren junior the chance to sign with Sauber on a multi-year deal that will see the young Brazilian race under the banner of Audi in his sophomore season next year.

His story in the documentary begins with the stunning last-to-first victory at Monza, which helped catapult him into title contention.

It’s also a race that made Sauber Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer Mattia Binotto take notice.

“It’s that the type of drive that makes you convinced that the talent and the potential are there,” the Sauber boss says, interspersed with footage of Bortoleto celebrating on the Monza podium.

“I’m so happy that he chose us,” adds Binotto. 

“He was so enthusiastic about the Audi F1 project because it’s really starting from zero and I think that’s exactly the right mindset I was looking for.

“He impressed me the way he was driving, but he impressed me more as a person. What will be in F1 we will see but I think he’s got all the soft skills that are required to be a champion in the future.”

Hadjar delivers when called upon

Hadjar’s 2024 season was unlike his fellow F2 competitors as the reality that he might secure a drive in F1 was only realised post-season.

An agonising end to his title fight with Bortoleto ended with a stall at the start of the final race and that wasn’t the only moment of strife that Hadjar had to overcome in 2024.

The Red Bull junior lost the feature race win in Monaco thanks to a late Virtual Safety Car handing Zak O’Sullivan a free pitstop. 

One points finish from the first five races also characterised the hurdles Hadjar had to overcome as he sought to recover from an underwhelming rookie F2 season in 2023.

Someone who knows Hadjar better than most, and what it takes to succeed at the very top of the sport is Guillaume ‘Rocky’ Rocquelin, Head of the Driver Academy at Red Bull and the man who made the iconic “Du Best Weltmeister” radio call as Sebastian Vettel won his first world title in 2010.

With his future on the line, an F2 title at stake and the glimmer of hope he’d get a shot at F1, Rocky says Hadjar “He handled the pressure very well and I think to be honest, surprisingly, the pressure was more the previous year [2023] in his rookie campaign in F2.

“I think he had a very tough introduction to F2, he struggled quite a lot, the results weren’t what he was used to, and the pace wasn’t there. So there was a lot of question marks and I think he thought his career was over then.

“He entered this season with a lot more belief, a lot more confidence and I think while the pressure was there because the results were required, the pressure put on himself was less than the previous year because he had so much more confidence. 

“When called upon, he really delivered and did very well so there’s not much I can criticise from his performance,” he concludes. 

Red Bull told Hadjar that 2024 was his last chance to prove himself and he did just that, earning his spot on the 2025 grid alongside his four fellow rookies.

The quintet, based on the appraisals of those closest to them, all look set to make their mark on F1.

READ MORE – F1 releases behind the scenes documentary on 2025 rookies

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Haas boss Ayao Komatsu has insisted that the team won’t be treating Oliver Bearman as a rookie in 2025, despite the upcoming season representing his first in Formula 1.

Bearman is among five newcomers on this season’s grid, but he stands as the most experienced in that crop having competed in three races during the recent campaign.

The Briton raced to an impressive seventh on debut in Saudi Arabia when Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz dropping out with an eventual appendicitis diagnosis saw him called upon.

Bearman backed up that with another point in Baku as the banned Kevin Magnussen’s replacement at Haas, while he also drove in the Dane’s place at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Along with those stand-in appearances, Bearman amassed more mileage in the seven FP1 sessions that he appeared in last term, six with Haas and one with Ferrari.

Komatsu has admitted Bearman slotting into a permanent seat more prepared than a traditional rookie will impact how the team manages his maiden campaign in the sport.

“We’re not really treating him as a rookie driver,” he said via Mirror F1. “He’s got such a mature head on his shoulders, and he can offer a lot with his young age.

“He’s got lots of experience and of course he’s been exposed to the Ferrari side of things as well, so he’s been learning a lot pretty quickly.

“So in terms of development stages, he’s not like a normal rookie and he’s already got a lot to offer for us, pushing us, pointing to us what we need to improve on as a team, but in the right way, so we’re really excited about that.”

Bearman won’t be shoved into support role

A revised line-up at Haas will see Bearman partner the much more established Esteban Ocon, a one-time race winner with 156 starts to his name since debuting in 2016.

But Komatsu has denied that the vast gap in experience that exists between the pair will prompt Ocon to be prioritised as its team leader once the season begins in March.

“Honestly, we don’t have a lead driver or non-lead driver, we just work as a team,” he stated.

“I’d like to think that both of them push and challenge each other in a good way and then push the team forward together.

“We don’t set out saying like, ‘Oh, Esteban, because of his experience, he’s the team leader’. Both of them bring different positives to the table.”

Haas not concerned about intra-team rivalry

There has been the perception that Ocon’s record when it comes to clashing with team-mates could cause Haas a headache as Bearman aspires to prove his credentials.

However, Komatsu isn’t concerned about his drivers coming to blows and believes that the internal competition between them will serve to be an asset that benefits the team.

“I think [Bearman] will be fine,” the Japanese team boss expressed. “I’m not worried about his competitiveness. I think they push each other in a good way.

“I think what we’re looking for from Oli is – he’s only done two races with us, plus one race at Ferrari – so that consistency across many races. It’s a tough season, right?

“It’s very different being a full-time F1 driver to perform week in, week out, keep that consistency, keep the drive, drive the team together, etc.

“So we’re looking for that kind of consistency and determination to push the team forward as well as himself.”

READ MORE – Haas denies future Ferrari F1 recall for Oliver Bearman would be ‘frustrating’

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Haas boss Ayao Komatsu has denied that it would be “frustrating” should Oliver Bearman’s Formula 1 stint with the team end due to him landing a drive at Ferrari.

The Kannapolis-based squad has utilised the long-serving relationship that it has with Ferrari to loan Bearman, who has been on the Italian marque’s books since 2022.

Bearman is preparing to embark upon his rookie F1 campaign alongside the more experienced Esteban Ocon, the Frenchman completing a revised driver line-up at Haas.

The Briton made two appearances with Haas last term as he replaced previous incumbent Kevin Magnussen in Baku and Brazil, scoring points in the initial showing.

Haas announced last July that Bearman will be with the team through 2026, which could leave him well-placed to replace Lewis Hamilton once his stint at Ferrari concludes.

Bearman, whose maiden F1 appearance came with Ferrari in Saudi Arabia last term, has been touted as the ideal option to take the position that his compatriot will vacate.

But while he’s signed a driver whose long-term prospects look poised to be elsewhere, Komatsu has denied he would be irritated should Ferrari opt to recall Bearman in 2027.

“It’s not frustrating at all, to be honest with you. I think it’s amazing that we had access to Oli,” Komatsu said via Mirror F1.

“It’s thanks to our relationship with Ferrari that we have Oli, we had him racing for us in Baku and Interlagos [last year] That’s actually a positive and a benefit for us.

“The fact that we’ve got two years solid with Oli, provided that nothing happens with Lewis and Charles [Leclerc] at Ferrari, is great.

“If we work together and make improvements together such that, at the end of ’26, Ferrari insists that they want to have Oli in their car, that has to be a compliment to us.

“So honestly, looking at it at least for the short term, the next two years, I feel really good that we actually have access to Oli and we can help him as a race driver.”

Haas hopes to develop own drivers soon

Haas has invested extensive time in Bearman’s career, having given him eight FP1 sessions prior to his promotion to a race seat in 2025 with the American outfit.

Komatsu has admitted that Haas is endeavouring to reach a stage where it can provide similar opportunities to its own upcoming talents rather than Ferrari’s crop.

“Of course, beyond that, we have to grow as a team so I’m sure at some point we’ll get to the stage where we need to grow out of it, if you like,” he explained.

“We’ve got to be able to give opportunities to young drivers and then for us to be able to develop and identify the talent, develop those talents together.

“We haven’t had the capability or opportunity to do that before – this is year one of doing that.

“So I think in terms of the transition, I’m not in a hurry to say, ‘It’s frustrating that we have to give the driver back to Ferrari’. No.

“These two years we’ve got with Oli, we’re determined to make it work and if at the end of the day we get to the stage where Ferrari is happy enough to take Oli for ’27, we’ve done a good job.”

READ MORE – Haas makes ‘huge’ F1 personnel changes in bid to ‘step up’ trackside operations

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The Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel said the 2024 season was the “best season we ever had“ as Formula 1 will have five graduates from the series in 2025.

There were 18 different race winners and 21 different podium finishers in 2024 – both smashing the previous records held in F2.

Four of those race winners; Gabriel Bortoleto, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman and Isack Hadjar – will all race in F1 next season.

Jack Doohan will be the fifth driver, who competed in F2, on the grid next year after he last competed in the junior series back in 2023.

Doohan served as a reserve driver in 2024 for Alpine, before competing in the final round in Abu Dhabi, and he will race for the Enstone-based outfit in 2025.

After Bortoleto was crowned champion last weekend in Abu Dhabi, Michel spoke about the historic season and the performance of the new F2 car for 2024.

“Well I think it’s been probably the best season we ever had in F2, let’s put it that way,” Michel told media including Motorsport Week.

“I think the level of the grid was absolutely amazing, I think the racing has been great all season long, very impressive races.

“And I think the result of that is that there are going to be quite a lot of drivers coming from Formula 2 to Formula 1 at the end of this season.

“Also the fact that we had two F2 drivers that started in F1 in the middle of the season, Bearman in Jeddah and Franco Colapinto for the rest of the season.

“They did well and they showed everybody that they were ready for F1 which is the main objective of Formula 2.

“So all together yeah I’m very very happy with this season and very happy with the new car.”

F1 teams make ‘big mistake’ by not hiring reigning Formula 2 winners

The 2024 F2 World Champion Bortoleto will race for Sauber next season, the first champion of the series to do so since Oscar Piastri – after he was promoted to F1 in 2023 after winning the junior category in 2021.

The 2023 and 2022 F2 champions Theo Pourchaire and Felipe Drugovich, have yet to secure a full-time seat in F1.

Bortoleto has broken the trend this year and secured a seat in the highest level of the sport which left F2 boss Michel delighted.

He said: “It’s fantastic because that’s what we are here for.

“Bortoleto has been winning F3 as a rookie then he’s winning F2 as a rookie.

“The precedent of this performance are Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri.

“So I think the teams are not making a big mistake when you have a driver that is achieving this kind of result and is [not] going to Formula One.

“What is for sure is the last two seasons the number one problem we had is that there were no seats available in Formula 1 because the Formula One [teams] had not changed driver, except for Logan Sargeant – who is the only one that got to Formula 1.

“And the fact that whether it was Felipe Drugovich or Theo Pourchaire, they achieved their result in at least three years.

“And that is for sure less exciting for the Formula 1 teams than to see Gabriel arriving as a rookie and winning the F2 championship.”

Michel wants F1 teams to take ‘gamble’ on F2 rookies

Antonelli, after his first season in F2, will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes whilst Bearman joins Haas for 2025.

When asked if F1 teams were taking a gamble by promoting the likes of Bearman, Antonelli and Bortoleto, he added: “Well I hope it’s not a gamble.

“I can tell you it’s not a gamble, it’s a very important choice for an F1 team.

“I would say that for a few years, the F1 team[s] have been a little bit difficult into taking F2 drivers because they thought that it was probably better for them to have more experienced drivers in the F1 cars.

“Because a difference of one position in the F1 championship makes quite a lot of money.

“So that was that was probably a quite defensive approach.

“I think what Ollie showed in Jeddah and what Franco showed for the rest of this season as well, has been showing that there are young drivers ready to come.

“Probably much more motivated and much more hungry than the drivers that have been there for quite a long time.

“So I think they’re making a very good decision there when they decide to do that.

“Now let’s see next year what happens but I’m quite confident about it.”

READ MORE: Gabriel Bortoleto: F2 title win in Abu Dhabi ‘the best feeling of my life’

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Haas can no longer field Oliver Bearman in the Abu Dhabi post-Formula 1 season test as he is no longer classified as a rookie driver.

The post-season F1 test at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit permits one senior driver and one rookie can participate for each team.

To be classified as a rookie for FP1 and testing sessions, a driver cannot compete in more than two Grands Prix.

Bearman is now ruled out of participating thanks to his stand-in at Ferrari for Carlos Sainz in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and two stand-ins for Kevin Magnussen at Haas.

After taking part in the Azerbaijan GP while the Dane served a race ban, Bearman was called in at the 11th hour to participate in the Sao Paulo GP after Magnussen fell ill.

Who could Haas replace Bearman with for the post-season test?

Haas has already filled its senior driver slot for the post-season test with incoming driver Esteban Ocon.

Ocon is joining the American outfit on a multi-year deal from Alpine and Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu confirmed the test “will be the first time Esteban drives our car, which is important because the regulations are stable.

“Next year’s car is an evolution of this year’s car, so it is good he tests this car before January to see the strengths and weaknesses and have input that we can still work on in development.”

Haas’ options to replace Bearman at the test are limited.

Its relationship with Ferrari gives Haas access to the Scuderia’s Driver Academy, which has recently seen Robert Shwartzman depart ahead of a move to IndyCar with PREMA.

The most senior driver left within the Scuderia Academy set-up is Dino Beganovic, who has only just graduated from FIA Formula 3 level.

Haas does have Pietro Fittipaldi on its books as a Reserve Driver and the Brazilian is still eligible as a rookie after competing in two GPs in 2020.

In addition, Haas could lean on its technical alliance with Toyota as the Japanese marque will be lending its drivers for the American outfit’s Testing of Previous Car (TPC) programme.

Bearman’s next Haas outing will come soon, with Komatsu confirming “we’re going to do TPC in January, before the season starts with our new race drivers.”

The teenager could still participate in the post-season test if Ferrari elects to utilise him as the senior driver alongside a rookie.

One driver who won’t be selected as senior by the Scuderia in Abu Dhabi is Lewis Hamilton, whose debut in red will be delayed as he is committed to sponsorship duties with Mercedes for the remainder of 2024.

Instead, Hamilton’s Ferrari debut will likely come in the 2022 machine early next year.

READ MORE – Oliver Bearman details Lewis Hamilton F1 Baku battle

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Haas has confirmed that Oliver Bearman will contest the remainder of the Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix after standing in for Kevin Magnussen on Friday.

Bearman was woken up by a 630 AM phone call from Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu to take Magnussen’s place at Interlagos on Friday after the Dane fell ill.

Thanks to the F1 Sprint weekend structure, that meant Bearman had to contest Friday’s practice and qualifying session and would be mandated to race in Saturday’s Sprint race.

However, shortly after Friday’s Sprint Qualifying session, Haas confirmed Bearman will complete the GP weekend.

“Following Ollie stepping into the VF-24 for today’s sessions due to Kevin’s sickness, we can confirm that the British driver will now complete the full Brazil GP weekend with the team,” a Haas statement read.

“We wish Kevin a full and speedy recovery.”

F1 return ‘a pleasure’ for Bearman

Bearman performed admirably on Friday, out-qualifying team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

The British teenager was on course to qualify in sixth place before a mistake in Sector 1 and a track limits violation on his final run demoted him to 10th.

Still, Bearman said “the car was feeling really good all day.

“Honestly from the first lap I did in FP1 I had a good feeling.

“So I’m happy to be in SQ3 and finally make it to the third stage of a qualifying session.

“But I just did a little mistake in Sector 1 which lost me a lot of time the rest of the lap was really, really good so I’m a bit disappointed.”

Bearman revealed that when he saw Komatsu’s name light up on his phone Friday morning, he was relieved not to have been woken up by a relative.

“If it was my mum or something, not realising the time difference I would have been a bit more angry,” he joked.

The Briton gave his best to Magnussen, saying “I know he’s feeling bad and he has had a lot of success on this track.

“But of course, I’m very happy to jump back in the F1 car and it’s always a pleasure.”

This weekend marks Bearman’s third Grand Prix racing appearance in 2024.

The Briton finished seventh in a remarkable Ferrari debut in place of Carlos Sainz in the Saudi Arabian GP before finishing 10th in the Azerbaijan GP while Magnussen served a race ban.

His third race now means he doesn’t qualify as a rookie for F1’s post-season test at Abu Dhabi in December.

READ MORE – Oliver Bearman details Lewis Hamilton F1 Baku battle

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Oliver Bearman will replace an unwell Kevin Magnussen at Haas during Friday’s opening running at the Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The Dane has been struck down by an unspecified sickness, and the American squad’s reserve driver will take his place for the day.

As Bearman will be in the car for the qualifying session for Saturday’s Sprint Race, the Englishman will also be required to drive in the race, with Magnussen hopeful of returning for qualifying for the Grand Prix on Sunday.

Bearman has partaken in multiple FP1 sessions for Haas already this season and raced for them in Azerbaijan when Magnussen was serving a one-race ban, finishing 10th.

A statement released by Haas said: “MoneyGram Haas F1 Team driver Kevin Magnussen will not participate in Friday’s track running at the São Paulo Grand Prix after suffering with sickness.

“Official reserve driver Oliver Bearman will take over driving duties. The team wishes Kevin a quick recovery and will provide a further update in due course.”

Bearman, who impressed with seventh place in his impromptu F1 debut with Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, will drive for Haas full-time from next year, partnering Esteban Ocon in an all-new line-up for the team, with both men hoping to benefit from a new technical alliance with Toyota.

Haas, who replaced longstanding Team Principal Günther Steiner with Ayao Komatsu in the close season, has recently seen an upturn in fortunes, with at least one of its cars finishing in the points in the last five races.

Last time out in Mexico, Magnussen and team-mate Nico Hülkenberg managed to achieve a double-points finish, finishing seventh and ninth respectively.

Heading into Brazil, the team sits sixth in the Constructors’ Championship on 46 points, 10 ahead of RB.

READ MORE – Kevin Magnussen reveals Haas F1 change behind recent upturn

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The Formula 1 race stewards have deemed no further action was required against Ferrari Reserve Driver Oliver Bearman or Williams’ Alex Albon after the pair came together in opening practice of the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Part way through FP1, Albon was caught unawares by Bearman, who was on a cool down lap.

Lifting at the exit of Turn 9, Albon caught a nasty bout of oversteer in his Williams FW46 machine, crashing into the side of Bearman’s Ferrari.

The incident saw both drivers end their sessions early with Albon hitting the barriers hard at Turn 10.

Both drivers were ok after the clash and the stewards, having heard from both drivers, reviewed telemetry, radio and onboard video footage have classified the clash as a racing incident.

“Both drivers agreed that Bearman’s positioning was not unreasonable, but was unfortunate as it was close to Albon’s line,” the stewards’ verdict read.

“Had Bearman been slightly further down the track it would not have resulted in an incident. All parties agreed that it was a racing incident.”

Bearman’s practice outing being curtailed cost him vital F1 running ahead of his full-season debut with Haas in 2025.

The British teenager has starred in one-off appearances this year, scoring points with Ferrari and Haas respectively in Jedddah and Baku.

Ferrari was able to repair the car in time for Charles Leclerc to contest FP2.

Robert Shwarztman handed obscure gird penalty

Sauber’s Robert Shwarztman was handed a five-place grid penalty for overtaking under yellow flags during opening practice at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Shawrztman passed RB’s Yuki Tsunoda at speed during yellow flag conditions, following the crash between Albon and Bearman.

The stewards observed the incident, reporting “Shwartzman passed a single waved yellow, and a double yellow flag before overtaking Tsunoda in the yellow zone while travelling at speed.”

As a result, a five-place grid drop has been applied to Shwartzman and will only come into effect should he make his F1 race debut.

However, the Ferrari Academy Driver’s likelihood of competing in a Grand Prix rests solely on either Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu missing out through illness, injury or race ban between now and the rest of the 2024 season.

Moreover, Shwartzman has not been listed among the many candidates to line up alongside Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber in 2025.

Shwartzman currently plies his trade with the AF Corse Hypercar outfit in the FIA World Endurance Championship, taking one win in 2024 at the Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas.

His participation in FP1 at Mexico City came about as Sauber is required, like all teams, to run at least two practice sessions a year with a rookie driver.

Swhartzman previously contested FP1 during the Dutch GP at Zandvoort in August.

READ MORE – Why are F1 rookies Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto so prepared to step up?

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Haas stand-in Oliver Bearman gave a detailed assessment of his battle with Lewis Hamilton in the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Bearman emerged a few seconds in front of Hamilton after his pit stop with the duo on the fringes of the points positions.

As the race at Baku wound down, Bearman, chasing Franco Colapinto’s Williams was pounced upon by Hamilton on the inside line at Turn 1.

“You know when you go around the outside that he’s going to leave you space, which is a nice feeling,” Bearman told Motorsport.com.

“In Turn 1, I knew that he wasn’t going to put me in a wall, which is a bit less sure with some other drivers. 

“That’s a nice feeling and it’s always very clean but hard when I was racing him.”

Bearman rued pushing to pass Colapinto which hurt his tyres and handed the initiative to Hamilton.

The ever self-critical Bearman acknowledged the sequence a “mistake.”

He explained “I was really pushing hard for some laps to overtake Franco and my tyres were getting really hot.

“It was exactly at that point that he pounced on me and could overtake me quite easily.

“After that, I needed a few laps and I caught him back up and was almost catching the DRS again.

“It’s annoying that I let him overtake but you can’t make little mistakes with a guy like that behind.”

Fortune hands Bearman a point

A combination of fortuitous factors then played into Bearman’s hands and allowed for more wheel-to-wheel action with Hamilton.

Bearman’s Haas team-mate Nico Hulkenberg found himself succumbing to the Williams of Colapinto after a brush with the Turn 15 wall hurt his pace.

Hulkenberg’s woe continued as he drove through debris amid Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz’s late crash.

Worried he had a puncture, Hulkenberg didn’t react at pace to green flags on the approach to Turn 3.

This allowed Hamilton and Bearman to sweep by in a tight flurry of racing action.

“It went green again and I managed to get him with Lewis,” Bearman said.

“It was an overtake. I’m sorry for [Hulkenberg].

“He had a problem to lose the position also to Franco, but I’m happy to take the point.”

The factors combined to grant Bearman a 10th-place finish at the chequered flag and the second points finish in as many F1 outings.

A bizarre turn of events means Bearman is the only driver to score points in his first two Grands Prix with two different teams after scoring with Ferrari during his late call-up at Jeddah in place of Carlos Sainz.

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