18-year-old driver Ayao Komatsu loves could be Haas’s ‘number one target’ for 2025

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Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu is a big fan of Ferrari junior driver Ollie Bearman and the young Brit could be his top target for the 2025 season.

Current drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg are about to enter the final years of their contracts with Haas.

However, speaking on The Race Podcast, journalists Edd Straw and Ben Anderson believe Haas might be looking towards a younger driver to lead them in the future.

There’s the potential for an awful lot of change on the grid heading into next year.

So many drivers are reaching the end of their contracts that most teams have the opportunity to freshen up their line-up if they would like to.

Haas are no exception although it might not be easy for them to attract the highest calibre of driver.

They finished bottom of the Constructors’ Championship last season and Ayao Komatsu hasn’t offered a particularly positive outlook on how 2024 might start.

However, Komatsu is a big fan of Ollie Bearman and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he tried to sign the 18-year-old to the team in 2025.

The relationship between Ferrari and Haas has aided the American team greatly during their time in F1.

It also played a role in Mick Schumacher moving to the team after winning Formula 2 while being a part of Ferrari’s academy.

Bearman could now be set to follow in the German’s footsteps.

Bearman could be Haas boss Komatsu’s ‘number one target’ for 2025

Speaking about the prospect of who might race for Haas next year, Straw said: “If I had to bet on one driver to be there I think it would be [Ollie] Bearman.”

Anderson added: “Yes, that’s what I was about to say. I think from what Gene Haas has said about wanting to move even closer to Ferrari that’s the one thing he seems positive and active about doing.

“And we know that [Ayao] Komatsu is a big fan of Bearman based on his FP1 appearances. So, I think that Bearman is absolutely their number one target for 2025.”

If Komatsu does go for Bearman in 2025, then he also needs to decide who will be his teammate at Haas next year.

It’s been suggested that Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu might be a good fit, but you can’t rule out either current driver retaining their seat.

Bearman has to prove himself in Formula 2 this year to earn that drive next season though.

In Andrea Kimi Antonelli and the returning Victor Martins, he’s going to face some stiff competition.