Oliver Bearman has been tipped for a big future in F1 (Image: Getty)
‘s boss has stated that he would take it as a compliment if the British teenage sensation leaves in two years’ time. The 19-year-old from Essex will be driving for the American team this year after securing his first full-time Formula One seat.
Bearman has been placed with by parent team , who envision him as a potential long-term successor to .
He has signed a two-year contract and, if he maintains the impressive form displayed in his three substitute appearances for the Scuderia last year, then Haas stands to benefit during that period.
However, team principal Ayao Komatsu has said he wouldn’t be frustrated to lose the talented Brit if comes knocking, but would instead view it as a compliment.
He said: “It’s not frustrating at all, to be honest with you. I think it’s amazing that we had access to Oli. It’s thanks to our relationship with that we have Oli, we had him racing for us in Baku and Interlagos [in 2024].
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“That’s actually a positive and a benefit for us. The fact that we’ve got two years solid with Oli, provided that nothing happens with Lewis and Charles [Leclerc] at , is great.
“If we work together and make improvements together such that, at the end of ’26, insists that they want to have Oli in their car, that has to be a compliment to us.
“So honestly, looking at it at least for the short term, the next two years, I feel really good that we actually have access to Oli and we can help him as a race driver.”
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Ayao Komatsu has spoken about Bearman (Image: Getty)
Haas are F1’s youngest team and are set to head into their 10th season, which largely lies in the hands of given they provide the Banbury-based team with their engines, gearboxes, and a host of other parts, as well as personnel.
Komatsu, however, has admitted that there will come a time when Haas will need to shift their focus towards nurturing their own talent instead of training drivers for .
He said: “Of course, beyond that, we have to grow as a team so I’m sure at some point we’ll get to the stage where we need to grow out of it, if you like.
“We’ve got to be able to give opportunities to young drivers and then for us to be able to develop and identify the talent, develop those talents together.
“We haven’t had the capability or opportunity to do that before – this is year one of doing that. So I think in terms of the transition, I’m not in a hurry to say, ‘It’s frustrating that we have to give the driver back to ‘. No.
“These two years we’ve got with Oli, we’re determined to make it work and if at the end of the day we get to the stage where is happy enough to take Oli for ’27, we’ve done a good job.”