Haas Signs 19-Year-Old Oliver Bearman for 2025 F1 Season

Bearman impressed while subbing for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia.

Bearman signed a multi-year deal with Haas after an impressive outing while subbing for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. / David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

Haas has filled one of its Formula One seats for 2025 and it comes in the form of a young, budding superstar.

Oliver Bearman has agreed to a deal with the American team to take one of its two seats. The 19-year-old British driver has already made his first F1 start as he impressed when subbing for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz back in April. He finished seventh at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after qualifying 11th.

While Bearman will be a rookie at the F1 level in 2025, he has been on the rise for years. He won the Italian F4 championship and the ADAC Formula Four title in '21, was third in Formula Three in '22 and sixth in Formula Two during the '23 campaign. He has spent this season as Ferrari's reserve driver and is currently 14th in Formula Two.

Team owner Gene Haas discussed the Bearman signing after the news was announced. He said, "I'm pleased we've been able to give Oliver Bearman this opportunity to drive full-time in Formula One—he's undoubtedly an exciting rookie prospect, not just based on what he showed in Saudi Arabia but also through his time developing a relationship with our team." He continued, "I'm personally excited to see how he grows as a driver, and we look forward to seeing him deliver for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team next season and beyond."

Haas could potentially have an entirely new lineup next season. Current driver Nico Hulkenberg has signed with Kick Sauber, and long-time team member Kevin Magnussen's contract is expiring. Both Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon have been linked to the team and a Magnussen return has not been ruled out. Ocon, who is leaving Alpine at the end of the 2024 season has been the rumored front-runner for the job.

Heading into the British Grand Prix this weekend, Haas is seventh in the constructors championship with 19 points. But the team is coming off a 12-point showing in Austria, where Hulkenberg finished sixth and Magnusson came in eighth. The team is currently 11 points behind the Visa Cash App RB team for sixth, and 10 points clear of Alpine behind them.

Signing Bearman is a bold move, but if Haas wants to become a serious player in the midfield moving forward it needs to gamble a bit.