Haas has confirmed Oliver Bearman will race for the team in 2025 after signing a multi-year deal.
Bearman is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and currently a Ferrari and Haas reserve, but has been carrying out multiple FP1 sessions to prepare him for a future race seat. Bearman also impressed with a one-off outing for Ferrari earlier this year, replacing the unwell Carlos Sainz in Jeddah and finishing seventh after just one practice session, and he has now been officially confirmed that he will be one of the two Haas race drivers next season.
“It’s hard to put into words just how much this means to me,” Bearman said. “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 [Haas], Ayao [Komatsu] 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 [Vasseur], Marco [Matassa], Jock [Clear], Alessandro [Vantini] 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.”
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Bearman is effectively taking the position of the outgoing Nico Hulkenberg next year, and team principal Komatsu says he has proven his potential in F1 machinery already over the past year.
“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,” Komatsu said. “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.”
Team owner Gene Haas says it’s Bearman’s talent rather than the Ferrari relationship that has led to Haas selecting the 19-year-old for 2025, with the team having been working with the British driver long before he made his eye-catching performance in Jeddah.
“I’m pleased we’ve been able to give Oliver Bearman this opportunity to drive full-time in Formula 1 — he’s undoubtedly an exciting rookie prospect, not just based on what he showed in Saudi Arabia but also through his time developing his relationship with our team,” Haas said.
“I’m personally excited to see how he grows as a driver, and we look forward to seeing him deliver for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team next season and beyond. This is an exciting time for the team. Oliver’s signing shows we continue to invest in talent — both on and off-track — as we continue to compete at the highest level.”