The Formula 1 “silly season” is far from over. Williams, Sauber, Mercedes, Alpine, Visa RB, and Haas still have seats to fill for 2025. At Haas, reserve driver Oliver Bearman appears to be the main candidate to join the team next year, despite his challenging F2 season. The young Brit will get another chance to prove himself in Formula 1 at Silverstone.
Bearman is currently racing in the feeder series for Formula 1 with PREMA Racing and is currently fourteenth in the F2 drivers’ standings. However, for Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu, Bearman’s disappointing Formula 2 performances are not decisive. “I place much more importance on how he works with us,” the Japanese boss tells the Danish Ekstra Bladet. “We still have plenty of F1 sessions to evaluate him.”
Young Talent Bearman to Drive in First Free Practice at British Grand Prix
One of the sessions is the first free practice during the British Grand Prix. Bearman will have the opportunity to drive Kevin Magnussen’s car for an hour during his home race weekend in Silverstone. “When I heard that I was allowed to participate in six VT1 sessions and saw that Silverstone was one of them, I started counting down the days!” Bearman exclaims. “It’s a fantastic circuit and it will be a special feeling to drive out of the pit lane for all the British fans.”
Antonelli Also Under Close Watch
Bearman is not the only Formula 2 driver being closely monitored by Formula 1 team bosses. Teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been a candidate for Mercedes in 2025 for some time. The Italian is currently ninth in the F2 championship and has not yet been able to perform as expected.
Haas team boss Komatsu therefore believes that neither Bearman nor Antonelli are the main culprits for their challenging Formula 2 year. “I have no idea what problems PREMA has with the car under the new rules,” says Komatsu. “I hear some things, but unless you know all the details, you can easily draw the wrong conclusions.” The Japanese boss would rather focus on what Bearman showed last March in Saudi Arabia when he replaced Carlos Sainz at Ferrari.
