Haas secure services of Ferrari prodigy Oliver Bearman, set to earn between £250,000 to £300,000 - Reports
Ferrari development driver Oliver Bearman is set to join American outfit Haas F1 in 2025 according to the Daily Mail. The British driver will replace outgoing German Nico Hulkenberg next season. However, it is unsure if he will be partnered by Hulkenberg's current partner, Kevin Magnussen.
The boy from Chelmsford impressed earlier this year after replacing Carlos Sainz in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. He scored a mighty 7th position finish, beating 7-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Miami GP winner Lando Norris in the process.
What made his drive even more impressive was the suddenness of his F1 promotion. On the day he grabbed P7 in the race, Oliver Bearman was supposed to compete in the F2 race in which he secured a pole position. The rumored move will make Bearman the 4th British driver on the grid alongside Hamilton, Norris, and George Russell.
The 19-year-old is expected to earn between an impressive £250,000 to £300,000 with the American outfit. Furthermore, the report also suggests that the above-mentioned figure could double for Oliver Bearman, should he impress in his rookie season.
Oliver Bearman is in, but who will partner the young rookie at Haas?
After signing the young Ferrari driver for next season, it will be interesting to see who Ayao Komatsu pairs him with. Kevin Magnussen is out of contract at the end of this season, and there have been rumors flying about Esteban Ocon joining the American team next season.
Ocon announced earlier this week that he will be leaving Alpine at the end of this season, bringing an end to a 4-year relationship.
Another name linked with Haas is 10-time F1 race winner Valtteri Bottas. The former Mercedes man is among one of the many drivers out of contract next season. With current driver Nico Hulkenberg already moving to Audi next season, the German brand is also looking for their second driver. If Carlos Sainz does pick Williams over Audi, the Finnish driver could stay put at Audi. However, Bottas has admitted that he would only pick a team that gives him a long-term contract.
Finally, another person who could well and truly stay put where he is is Kevin Magnussen. The current Haas driver has been in the news this season, often for helping out his teammate to score some crucial points. However, whether that warrants his F1 future remains to be seen.
Who would you partner with alongside Oliver Bearman at Haas?