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Oliver Bearman is next in line for a seat at Ferrari in Formula 1, but the team’s current trajectory has put the timeline of that move into disarray.
After a dismal first season with the team, it was widely believed that Lewis Hamilton would leave Ferrari at the end of 2026 if the new regulations did not suit his driving style. However, the seven-time champion has had a resurgence.
He secured his first podium for Ferrari at the Chinese GP and has been battling at the front with teammate Charles Leclerc and Mercedes in the opening two races. Hamilton is thriving in the paddock as he feels comfortable in the SF-26.
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Likewise, Bearman is having a great start to the campaign, sitting fifth in the standings ahead of both McLaren and Red Bull drivers. Ayao Komatsu wants Bearman to beat Red Bull in 2026, and he is certainly proving his worth thus far.
Performances like these will put the Haas driver in the frame for a Ferrari seat. However, with Hamilton’s improved form, he may have to wait longer for his chance.
Oliver Bearman would be ‘content’ with seeing out his Haas contract in 2027
It is believed that Hamilton has a contract with Ferrari until 2027, while teammate Leclerc has a deal until 2029. With his start to 2026, Hamilton is ‘changing the whole picture’ of Bearman’s future, and he will likely stay in Maranello next year.
With no room at Ferrari, the 20-year-old Brit is faced with staying where he is. Journalist Edd Straw understands that Bearman’s Haas deal runs until 2027, and he would be ‘content’ with seeing out that contract.
He said via The Race F1 Podcast: “He’s only 21 in May as well, Bearman, so he’s got time on his side. I think the third year, he’ll be okay with, because as I understand it, that Haas deal is for three years.
“And although there’ll be some form of recall mechanism with certain notice, I think he was always kind of under the impression that this would be a three-year thing, so I think probably he’ll be quite content with ’27. ’28, that could be different.”
Bearman has himself denied joining Ferrari in the near future, but did praise his ‘strong connection’ with the team. A third season at Haas is likely for the Brit, and he would be happy to stay with the American team.
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Haas staff are ‘incredibly in love’ with Oliver Bearman
The relationship between Bearman and Haas is excellent, as Nelson Valkenburg notes. The staff are ‘incredibly in love’ with the young talent and they are setting huge goals for him in the future.
“The good thing for him is that Komatsu really sets a high bar for him as well, and he has to work to clear that bar,” he said.
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“But the people within Haas are incredibly in love with Oliver Bearman. That is a match really made in heaven at this point, and it works.
“But what happens when Ocon is phased out, if that happens, and they bring someone with the same level of energy, and potentially the same lap times as Bearman, is he as consistent as he is right now?
“That is a different matter. We don’t know. First, it’s up to Ocon to try and match the level that Bearman has. He hasn’t done so far, it’s credit to Bearman.”
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