Following Nico Hulkenberg’s impending departure on the finish of 2024 to affix Sauber subsequent season, in preparation for its Audi rebrand in 2026, Haas now has an empty seat for 2025.
Bearman, who’s presently reserve driver for each Haas and Ferrari, is taken into account because the favorite to take over Hulkenberg’s drive because of his present place within the workforce and can participate in six FP1 periods this yr.
The 18-year-old Briton’s possibilities of breaking by into F1 subsequent season have been enhanced by his super-sub look for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, the place he completed seventh rather than an unwell Carlos Sainz.
Komatsu says that, though Bearman must carry out in F2 to at the least guarantee he maintains the mandatory superlicence factors to step up, the Chelmsford-born racer should primarily proceed to display a fascinating working ethic at Haas in his reserve function.
“It’s a mixture; he must carry out in F2, for certain. Bu once we work with him immediately, you [need to] perceive all of the ins and outs, all of the surroundings or the reasoning for sure issues taking place,” Komatsu defined.
“So yeah, I might put in all probability extra weight on what we do with him, how he performs in the environment. However in fact he must carry out in F2. That is clear.
“It is utterly open,” Komatsu added. “We have got six [FP1] periods lined up for him, so we are going to see the primary of that in Imola. We’re actually wanting ahead to see how we will develop him and the way properly we will work collectively.”
In reflecting on how properly Bearman has built-in himself into the workforce so far, Komatsu labelled the Prema F2 driver as “spectacular” and famous that his first FP1 look for the workforce in Mexico final yr had given him “nothing to complain about”.
Oliver Bearman, Ferrari SF-24
Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photographs
Requested if Hulkenberg’s departure would affect Bearman’s apply programmes, Komatsu mentioned that the deal with helping the workforce with its preparations for the given weekends retained essentially the most significance.
“It would not change [the programmes] – as a result of you’ll be able to’t as a workforce, you’ve got acquired an goal for that weekend, you’ve a transparent thought of what you want to get out from FP1, FP2, FP3 to arrange to your quali and race. In order that strategy would not change,” the Japanese mentioned.
“Nevertheless it’s extra over does the motive force perceive that goal? Can he play a robust half in fulfilling that sort of targets?
“If this younger driver is barely enthusiastic about, for instance, going flat out in all places displaying the world how fast he’s – that is probably not mature strategy.
“However Ollie is just not like that. What Ollie’s proven in Mexico after which Abu Dhabi, he is acquired the velocity. However he actually understands the larger image, and he can play a constructive half in contributing to the workforce. I want to see the continuation of that.
“Additionally, at some stage he’ll face a problem; perhaps you’ve got acquired the automobile difficulty that perhaps he loses half a session? How does he react to that? That sort of adversity. In order that’d be an fascinating one to see.”
Ought to Bearman handle that, Komatsu added that it will “in fact” be a logical choice to advertise him into the 2025 drive.
