Haas F1 boss justifies Oliver Bearman’s signing following Japanese GP

Rookie Oliver Bearman earned high praise from Haas F1 Team principal Ayao Komatsu after a gritty points finish at the Japanese Grand Prix. The 19-year-old brought home a crucial 10th-place result at Suzuka, validating the faith Komatsu had placed in him when Haas signed the teenager for the Formula 1 2025 season.

After a low-key start to the weekend and expectations of struggling at the high-speed figure-eight circuit, Bearman fought off Fernando Alonso in the final laps to secure a valuable point for his team. The #87 VF-25 driver has now found back-to-back top-ten finishes in Shanghai and Suzuka. This has put the Haas team in sixth place in the 2025 constructors' standings with 15 points.

(Left) Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman are interviewed on the fan stage in Suzuka, Japan. Source: Getty

Komatsu, who has led Haas through a measured rebuild, called the drive a reward for the effort put in by the entire garage. The Japanese motorsports executive saw enough potential in Bearman to make him a full-time driver for 2025. That faith was repaid in Suzuka, as Komatsu expressed his satisfaction to the media after the race:

"This is a big part of the reason why we signed Ollie (Oliver Bearman). We started working with him in Mexico in 2023 when he was 18, it was impressive straight away in that regard. And then last year, every time we worked with him, his feedback was accurate…He understood the programme, he understood the objectives." (via Pit Debrief)

Bearman's rise to F1 has been closely watched ever since his standout F2 campaign and several strong FP1 outings for Ferrari and Haas in 2024. A last-minute call-up for Ferrari in Jeddah last year, where he finished seventh, only strengthened his reputation as a calm, composed talent with top-tier potential.

Komatsu also discussed the improvement in the VF-24 cars throughout the weekend. Fans were stunned by Haas' new livery on display at the Suzuka International Circuit, which was a tribute to the Sakura trees of Japan. However, speed-wise, Haas looked far off the pace on Friday and didn’t appear likely to escape Q1.

But after overnight changes and a strong showing in FP3, Bearman not only made it to Q3 but carried that pace into Sunday’s race.

"So, Friday night I was focusing, how can we get a bit more performance out of the car/driver, to get out of Q1. Then we tweaked a few things overnight, and then FP3 to qualifying, and then, to get to Q3 was amazing. And then today, for everyone to execute the race in that way and Ollie to drive in that way, to get P10 was a really good reward," Komatsu added.

While the result itself marked only a single point, it highlights the team’s development and the rookie’s maturity to adapt to it.

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“P10 was what we could have achieved today”: Oliver Bearman reflects on Japanese GP run

Oliver Bearman (87) during the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Circuit. Source: Getty

Oliver Bearman, meanwhile, struck a reflective yet upbeat tone after the race. While unable to match the pace of the Williams and RB cars, he was pleased with a clean, well-executed run. Talking to F1 after the race, the Brit said:

"I think we achieved the maximum today. Not quite enough pace to fight the Williams or the RB. But, I think P10 was what we could have achieved today. It was a pretty lonely race out there but I enjoyed it."

The teenager also stated that while the race was somewhat uneventful, it gave him much-needed confidence heading into the European leg of the season. Oliver Bearman currently sits in 12th place with five points in the Formula 1 standings and continues to underline why Haas placed its future in his hands.