Haas boss Komatsu convinced Bearman is a future Ferrari F1 driver

Haas crew principal Ayao Komatsu is in little doubt that Oliver Bearman will probably be a future System 1 driver for Ferrari.

The Italian crew has began working with Lewis Hamilton this week, however fellow Briton Bearman, who’s a part of the crew’s driver programme, can also be getting into this season as a full-time F1 driver.

Bearman has been shipped out on mortgage to Haas after a string of spectacular performances throughout FP1 classes for the Banbury-based crew in 2023 and 2024.

The 19-year-old additionally stuffed in for the stricken Carlos Sainz to drive for Ferrari within the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP when the Spaniard had appendicitis.

He defied expectations to complete seventh which earned him plaudits, however Komatsu stated he by no means doubted Bearman from the second he had his Haas debut in FP1 on the 2023 Mexico GP.

When requested by Autosport if he noticed Bearman as a future Ferrari driver, Komatsu stated: “Sure. He’s a Ferrari driver and we have him for 2 years – plus an choice for an additional one – but when we do a very good job and if Ollie does a very good job, there is no manner Ferrari can ignore that.

“It is humorous about Ollie being a rookie as a result of I do not deal with him as a rookie within the sense, as a result of we pay a lot of consideration to what he has to say.

“In fact he is obtained good expertise in Ferrari’s training, simulator, and so forth. And he is been driving our automobile – VF-23 and VF-24.

“Each time he will get within the automobile, his suggestions’s been wonderful. The method has been wonderful, pace has been nice.

“You noticed in Baku and Interlagos, each qualifying classes he out-qualified [former Haas driver] Nico [Hulkenberg], who was our reference.”

Komatsu has made it clear that he has been impressed by Bearman’s suggestions and his perspective, shelving his personal try to point out his pace by working via the crew’s programmes throughout his FP1 outings.

The Haas crew principal is now desirous to see how Bearman progresses along with his F1 profession and can see Ferrari to debate how it is going to be monitoring his growth.

“I am certain Ferrari need common suggestions,” Komatsu added. “I am truly going to see them within the first week of February so I can perceive precisely what sort of suggestions they want.

“However I would like to present them suggestions as effectively, as a result of they’ve been a vital a part of his profession, in order that they know Ollie higher than us, so any assist we will get from that facet can be helpful as effectively.

“I would wish to work fairly carefully with the man who has been coping with Ollie.”