Guenther Steiner claims Oliver Bearman’s Ferrari contract will end this year

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Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman will be ‘free to go wherever he wants’ in next year’s driver market, Guenther Steiner says.

Bearman has been part of the Ferrari academy since 2021 and even made his F1 debut with the team in March 2024 when Carlos Sainz missed the Saudi Arabian GP through illness. The relationship helped him secure a full-time seat with engine customers Haas in 2025.

However, Ferrari say they will stick with their driver line-up of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc for 2027, which means Bearman is facing at least three years in the midfield before he gets his opportunity.

Guenther Steiner says Oliver Bearman will be a ‘free agent’ next year

Former Haas team principal Steiner believes there will be a clause in Bearman’s contract that frees him from Ferrari’s control if they don’t give him a seat by 2027.

Intriguingly, Red Bull are interested in Bearman, though any move is likely dependent on Max Verstappen leaving the team.

Hamilton’s dismal first season at Ferrari seemed to accelerate Bearman’s promotion timeline, but the seven-time world champion’s resurgent form this year has shut the door again.

Should Oliver Bearman look to leave the Ferrari set-up or should he bide his time?

Bearman will have to wait until 2028 for a Ferrari seat

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“Ollie Bearman is not a Ferrari junior next year anymore, I think,” Steiner said on the Red Flags podcast. “If he’s not at Ferrari, he’s a free agent.

“Normally, what they’ve got in their contracts is, if they’re not in the works team after a certain period, they are free to go wherever they want.

“I think Ferrari will try to keep him, but I don’t know if they can do it. On the other side, Ollie doesn’t have a lot of other opportunities, because there are no other good seats open.

“To keep him on their books, they need to promise him the ride in a certain period of time. Otherwise, why would he do it?”

Bearman started the year strongly with a P7 in Australia and a P5 in China but has only scored one point since amid Haas’ regression. That has seen him slip to 13th place in the standings.

Esteban Ocon’s likeliest replacement at Haas named

Bearman leads teammate Esteban Ocon 20-5 in the competitive sessions where both drivers have been classified this season. In light of this underperformance, the Frenchman’s future is in doubt.

Discussing possible replacements, Steiner picked another Ferrari junior in Rafael Camara as the likeliest option. Camara, last year’s F3 champion, is currently third in the Formula 2 standings.

Haas have been linked with Yuki Tsunoda, but Steiner says his ties with Honda are a barrier to any move given the team’s title sponsorship deal with Toyota, another Japanese powerhouse.

“I think it’s the biggest difference between teammates in the championship,” he said. “If you take the time gap between the two normally, it’s huge always. I don’t think he’s got a future there. I think it’s his last year there.

“I think Yuki will be difficult because he’s clearly a Honda guy. Him jumping to Toyota would be difficult.

“I would say Camara [is the favourite to replace Ocon].”