Haas: Why Bearman’s future is up in the air – and what Ferrari has to do with it

Oliver Bearman has still not been confirmed by Haas for the 2027 season – the delays are linked to his long-term future at Ferrari

Whilst Oliver Bearman is performing well in his second Formula 1 season, it seems odd that Haas has already confirmed Esteban Ocon’s successor for the 2027 season before it was announced that Bearman would be staying with the US team for a third year.

There is no doubt that Bearman will stay. Both sides want to continue their partnership for another season. “I think it’s very clear. I want to stay at Haas, and that’s definitely my goal,” Bearman said on Thursday in Mexico.

However, he emphasised: “It’s not really in my hands. If it were up to me, it would have been announced a long time ago. But there are a few things that affect the bigger picture, and we’re working on them.”

Team principal Ayao Komatsu added: “I don’t like to go into the details of our contract, but Ollie shows incredible potential. He contributes a great deal to the team’s success, and we want to grow together. We want to work our way up the grid as a team.”

And whilst Komatsu dismissed rumours of Bearman’s allegedly excessive salary demands – which were said to be blocking a deal – as “utter nonsense”, the real reason for the delay lies not in 2027, but in what comes after.

Are the chances of a Ferrari seat dwindling?

Bearman alluded to this “bigger picture” in his response, and this picture has become increasingly bleak in recent months. Bearman is still on track to complete the full “Ferrari Driver Academy” programme – from Formula 4 to a Formula 1 seat with the Scuderia.

Charles Leclerc is so far the only driver to have completed this entire progression. However, a new obstacle has emerged in the form of Lewis Hamilton, who has returned to his former form this year and exercised the contractual option securing his place at Ferrari for 2027.

Whilst Bearman initially looked like the perfect successor to Hamilton, the seven-time world champion’s recent comments in the media about his future do not suggest he is keen to leave Ferrari and Formula 1 any time soon. Furthermore, Leclerc has recently agreed a long-term contract extension until 2030.

So, if Ferrari cannot guarantee Bearman a seat for 2028 and the 21-year-old Briton would then be free to explore other options, it makes sense that certain aspects of his long-term future need to be clarified before a contract extension with Haas is officially announced.

Actually, all parties would like to carry on, but …

Komatsu emphasised that there are no differences of opinion regarding the desire to continue the partnership: “I don’t think I can go into the details of what is causing the delay. But it is very clear on both sides that we want to continue working together.”

“We work really well together and push each other. He brings a lot to the team, and we’re growing together. Our intentions are perfectly aligned on both sides. We’re trying to find a solution so that we can continue working together next year, and I’m sure we’ll manage it.”

The priority for Bearman’s camp, it seems, is therefore to ensure that another year at Haas does not tie him down for longer than necessary and potentially limit his future opportunities.

The paradox here is that all parties involved appear to be pursuing compatible goals. Haas wants to keep Bearman, the driver wants to continue racing, and Ferrari has every interest in protecting a young talent in whom it has invested for years. What complicates the picture is the impossibility of guaranteeing today what will happen in two seasons’ time.

For Bearman, therefore, it is not a question of finding a seat for 2027. The real challenge lies in ensuring that the seemingly inevitable decision to stay at Haas does not become an obstacle to his prospects in 2028.

This delicate balance is currently being negotiated behind closed doors. And it is probably the most plausible explanation for an announcement that, just a few weeks ago, seemed like a mere formality.