Why 2025 Haas signing Oliver Bearman is no pay driver despite father’s £112m company

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Oliver Bearman will make his full-time Formula 1 debut with Haas next season, partnering Esteban Ocon. Bearman will have an advantage over fellow rookies Kimi Antonelli and Jack Doohan because he’s already driven in two Grands Prix.

His first opportunity came in Saudi Arabia, when Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz had to withdraw with appendicitis. Bearman won the driver of the day award after finishing a commendable seventh.

Then, in Azerbaijan, there was no sense of emergency as he completed the full weekend in place of the suspended Kevin Magnussen. The teenager scored another point to move clear of Magnussen in the championship.

‘Voices in the paddock’ suspect Bearman wouldn’t have got a seat without those impressive F1 outings. He’s struggled in the Formula 2 championship this year.

While the Englishman has bagged two Sprint victories – the first in Austria and the second in Monza – he hasn’t finished on the podium in any of the other races. That leaves him 15th in the standings ahead of the final two races.

It should be noted that Bearman missed both races in Jeddah after qualifying on pole. He wasn’t able to take part in the Baku weekend either, so his position isn’t entirely representative.

Peter Windsor rejects ‘pay driver’ tag for Oliver Bearman ahead of Haas move

During a live stream on his YouTube channel, F1 journalist and former team member Peter Windsor was asked whether Bearman should be considered a ‘pay driver’. Windsor suspects that he received ‘legs up’ on his way to the Ferrari academy.

He joined the Scuderia’s programme in late 2021, having just won the ADAC F4 and Italian F4 championships. He went on to finish third in F3 the following season before graduating to F2.

Bearman notched four wins, three poles and six podiums in his first F2 campaign, helping him bag sixth in the standings. That marked him out as a strong title contender for 2024, but PREMA have struggled with the new generation of cars.

Windsor insists that Bearman has the ‘talent’ to merit an opportunity in F1. He’ll hope to succeed Lewis Hamilton as a fully-fledged Ferrari driver one day, with the Scuderia’s ties to Haas helping him secure his first seat.

Windsor said: “I think he got a few legs up, probably helped him get into the Ferrari academy when he did. I see Ollie as a driver with absolutely the talent that is commensurate with his opportunity, and I think he’s maximised his opportunities. I don’t include Ollie as in that area [as a pay driver] at all.”

Who is David Bearman, Oliver Bearman’s father?

The reason that the pay driver accusation was levelled was that Bearman’s father, David, is a wealthy businessman. The 46-year-old is the CEO of the Aventum Group, which recorded a revenue of over £112m last year.

Aventum are a big name in the insurance sector, where Bearman has been working since 1996. He was present for his son’s F1 debut in March, frequently featuring on the world feed broadcast.

Ferrari academy Jock Clear has called Bearman a ‘slow burner’, which is why he expects him to be even better next season. Race-winner Ocon will set a healthy benchmark.

Guenther Steiner says Haas should have kept Nico Hulkenberg rather than allowing him to join Sauber/Audi. Bearman compared well with the German veteran at the Azerbaijan GP, beating him in qualifying.