Britishdriver Oliver Bearman reflected on his challenging rookie season with Haas in the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, acknowledging that the team’s car performance sometimes forced him into mistakes that affected his results. He emphasized how the American team’s vehicle was often on a “knife-edge,” making it difficult to find the right setup and leading to some frustrating moments on track.
Rough Patches Amid Promising Results
At just 20 years old, Bearman experienced notable highs, including a strong fourth-place finish at the Mexico Grand Prix. However, the season also included mentally taxing periods. Bearman described a stretch when he consistently finished just outside the points, creating emotional and competitive pressure.
There were a few tough races,
Bearman said during his appearance on the High Performance podcast.
He went on to explain the difficulty of repeatedly finishing close to scoring positions.
“I went on a run of like four or five 11th places in a row. And that was also really challenging because even in 11th, you’re so close, but at some point, I was just saying like, ‘what do I need to do? I’m missing out on the points by one position for the last month or month and a half in a row.”
He recalled a painful Miami Grand Prix where a penalty erased a potential points finish, adding to the frustration.
“I think Miami, I finished in the points and got a penalty that took me out, and you’re like, ‘OK it’s just not going how you want at this stage’. Those kinds of races prior to the summer break were really challenging.”
Challenges With Haas’ Unstable Car
Bearman attributed much of the difficulty to Haas’ car, which was often unstable and demanding to handle. He admitted that his driving sometimes failed to adapt to these conditions, contributing to errors on track.
“We were at a time when the car was on a bit of a knife-edge, really hard to get in the perfect set-up window, and I just wasn’t accounting for that enough.”
He explained that pushing the car as if it were perfectly balanced worked inconsistently, leading to mistakes that made him appear less composed on the track.
Image of: Oliver Bearman
“I was trying to push as if the car was exactly where I wanted it, and it would work three times out of five. But on those other two occasions, I would make a mistake, run wide, run off track and make myself look silly, basically.”
Comparing Teammates and Overall Season Outcomes
Despite these setbacks, Bearman’s performance was strong compared to his more experienced teammate, Esteban Ocon. Bearman finished 13th in the drivers’ championship standings, ahead of Ocon, who placed 15th, highlighting a promising start to his Formula 1 career despite the learning curve and team struggles.
Bearman’s first season demonstrated the difficulty of adapting to an unpredictable car but also showed resilience and potential for growth as he gains experience in Formula 1.
