Bearman wants to take Haas higher before his Ferrari chance comes

Formula 1’s silly season feels like it is kicking off a little earlier than usual, because it was only the fifth round of the year when questions about potential driver moves in 2027 were being asked.

Two postponements in April give off the impression that the current season has barely started, while also ensuring there have been fewer opportunities for driver managements and team bosses to have initial discussions in the paddock. There were a few names in particular that found themselves part of driver market speculation before arriving in Montreal, with Oscar Piastri rejecting the notion that he would look to leave McLaren for Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton also reiterated his commitment to both Ferrari and racing in F1, while Ayao Komatsu was out in defense of his relationship with Esteban Ocon, following rumors of a falling-out in Miami.

The latter two situations are likely to have a major impact on one driver in particular, with Oliver Bearman’s future intertwined with both Haas and Ferrari. The 21-year-old is in his second full season under Komatsu’s guidance, but his exciting performances at such a young age make him a clear candidate to take up any vacancy at Maranello.

Those performances have become more regular, with his third point-scoring result in five races so far this season coming despite a challenging weekend for Haas in Canada. That means Bearman has scored in nine of his past 15 grand prix starts, while crossing the line 11th in Miami and 12th on the other three occasions he finished.

“I think last year gave confidence to myself, knowing that I'm able to perform on a consistently high level,” Bearman tells RACER. “I could perform at a high level at the beginning of the season, that was very clear, but I was struggling to do that week in, week out, and that's really where I managed to improve and make a step for that second half. I was really happy with the progress that I've been able to make and also carrying that forward into this year.

“Obviously the performance is variable. It depends on the weekend, it depends on the setup and all those things. I think a good marker for me is how do I feel in the car, how am I working with the team? It's really things that are tough to measure with numbers, but easy to measure when you're honest with yourself and remove ego from the conversation as well.”

Bearman is keen to take onboard all the feedback Komatsu and his team can provide. Mark Sutton/Formula 1 via Getty Images

It’s not all that often a driver says something that you heard others say on multiple occasions previously, but removing ego might just be one of those phrases.

It’s an aspect of Bearman’s approach that Komatsu has previously pointed out is a major strength, and there’s even further humility to the way the young Briton explains how he handles feedback that could lead to tension. Not only is it something he feels he does well, but Bearman also praises the similar outlook from the key people around him.

“I think it's super important to take criticism and take it well and understand where it's coming from, because all of the time that I'm getting these criticisms is because the people giving it to me believe in men – they understand what I'm capable of, so when they don't see that, they want me to improve.

“I never take it badly; I'm always aware of their situation. Of course, these people who are giving me this advice and criticism aren't necessarily driving the car, but they have so many different angles that they look at, so it's important to have that view from the others.

“Also, I think with my responses, they understand that I don't take things badly, so there's a good environment within my team – within my engineering team, but also within my personal team – that we're all able to call each other out and all able to demand the best from each other, because we know that no one would react badly to it.”