Haas told they could name ‘very strong’ driver line-up in 2025 featuring Ollie Bearman

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Ollie Bearman could feature in a ‘very strong’ Haas driver line-up for the 2025 season, according to one journalist.

Bearman, who made his F1 debut for Ferrari in place of an unwell Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia, will drive in six FP1 sessions for Haas this season.

And journalist Jake Boxall-Legge reckons he could make a full-time F1 debut with the American team next year.

Both Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are out of contract at the end of the season.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu dubbed Bearman ‘a total package’ after watching him finish seventh in Saudi Arabia.

It was the best performance by an F1 debutant since the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, Hulkenberg got the first point of the season on the board for Haas as he finished 10th.

He did so with the help of the heavily-penalised Magnussen, who held up his rivals to create a pit-stop buffer for the German.

Journalist talks up Hulkenberg and Bearman Haas line-up

Speaking on the Autosport podcast, Boxall-Legge suggested that Hulkenberg would have the edge over Magnussen if Haas decided to retain one of their two drivers.

And he thinks that Bearman is best-placed to step up alongside him after impressing the team.

“The suggestion is that he might find his way into a Haas seat as early as next season,” he said (19:15).

“I think, if you’re looking at their line-up, of the two drivers they currently have, Hulkenberg is probably the strongest one.

“A Hulkenberg-Bearman line-up at Haas would be very, very strong.

“We know that the team has been very, very impressed by him in his FP1 outings and in the young driver test as well.”

Who else is in contention for Haas seat?

Magnussen can’t be counted out, with 22 races still remaining in F1’s longest-ever season.

While he hasn’t scored so far this season, he did play the team game to great effect in Jeddah.

Another name to watch out for Robert Shwartzman, the Ferrari talent who’s currently racing in the World Endurance Championship.

BBC F1 pundit Jack Aitken believes the former F3 champion, who’s driven in four practice sessions for the Scuderia, remains in the mix for an F1 seat.

And given that Ferrari supply engines to the Haas team, he could theoretically be a candidate.