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Four Formula 1 teams could be ‘interested’ in hiring Oliver Bearman for 2025 season

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Haas are far from the only candidates to sign Oliver Bearman in 2025, BBC F1 reporter Andrew Benson says.

Bearman is hot property right now after impressing as an emergency replacement for Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

And Benson says there are now likely to be multiple teams interested in the 18-year-old.

The Haas team is viewed as a likely destination because of their close relationship with Ferrari, which includes an engine supply deal.

What’s more, Bearman has already driven for the team in two free practice sessions and will appear in six more before the current campaign is out.

Team principal Ayao Komatsu has publicly hailed him as a ‘total package’, and he knows both Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are on expiring deals.

F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia
Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Alpine could also target Oliver Bearman

Discussing Bearman’s future in Q&A for BBC Sport, Benson accepted that Haas are the ‘obvious candidate’ to take the Briton.

Ferrari will want to hold onto him deal but there’s a chance that they could do ‘do a deal’ with another team, like Williams or Alpine.

Sauber, who will also race with Ferrari engines until Audi’s takeover in 2026, are also in contention.

“Bearman is a member of the Ferrari driver academy, and they won’t be wanting to let him go,” Benson said.

“So the obvious candidate is Haas, which is a close partner of Ferrari.

“But quite a few teams are likely to be interested in him after his performance in Saudi Arabia, so Ferrari could just as easily do a deal with Williams, Sauber, or perhaps even Alpine.”

Where will Bearman race in 2025?

Williams may be keen on the idea of pairing Bearman with Alex Albon if Logan Sargeant fails to deliver this season.

Team principal James Vowles has told the American that he needs to be ‘the surprise of the season’ to retain his seat after a disappointing rookie campaign.

As for Sauber, there may be a reluctance to take on a Ferrari junior in their final year before they cut ties with the Prancing Horse.

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has suggested that Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon could look for a way out of Alpine after their miserable and scoreless start to the season.

But the French manufacturer may prefer to promote their own young talent in Jack Doohan rather than taking on Bearman.