The Haas team has appointed two new drivers for the upcoming season. Esteban Ocon is making the switch from Alpine, while reserve driver Oliver Bearman finally gets a permanent spot on the grid. Team boss Ayao Komatsu is confident in this revamped line-up, but wants to establish clear rules of engagement upfront to prevent internal conflicts.
In particular, Esteban Ocon has a reputation when it comes to incidents with teammates. He has previously clashed with Sergio Pérez at Force India and later with Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly at Alpine. This raises the question among many experts whether Ocon and newcomer Oliver Bearman will also end up at odds with each other. However, in a conversation with Autosport, Komatsu assured that he will enforce strict rules to prevent such situations.
“The rules must be completely clear from day one,” the 49-year-old engineer explained. “That’s why I don’t expect any contact moments or retirements due to internal disagreements. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t race hard.” Komatsu pointed out that there were no major problems last year, despite Kevin Magnussen’s aggressive driving style. “Kevin is a tough racer, but the closest we came to a problem was the undercut in Austria. However, that was partly due to poorly timed pit stops.”
Bearman is No Rookie?
Not too long ago, Haas also opted for a completely new line-up. In 2021, Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher made their debut with the American racing team. The team was heading for a disastrous season. However, Komatsu finds it difficult to compare that situation with the present. “That was a completely different era,” he noted. “The dynamics between the drivers were also very different then. I don’t look back that far. We focus on what we did well last year and what can still be improved.”
“Esteban (Ocon) and Ollie (Bearman) are both excellent drivers,” concluded the Haas team boss. “They both still have a lot to prove, but I don’t consider Bearman a rookie. He has gained a lot of experience at Ferrari and in the simulator. Moreover, he has already driven our cars – the VF-23 and VF-24. His feedback was always excellent and his speed impressive. In Baku and at Interlagos, he even beat Nico Hülkenberg. That’s why I think we have a very strong line-up for 2025. I’m really looking forward to it.”
