Bearman Unfazed by Haas' Slip in F1 Development Race

Ollie Bearman has come to terms with Haas being left in the dust by rivals in the 2026 season so far. The young Brit admits he's not exactly surprised to see teams like Alpine and Racing Bulls pulling ahead, given the lack of upgrades on the Haas car. The season began on a positive note, with Bearman earning points in Australia and China, and teammate Esteban Ocon adding to the score in Japan. However, recent performances have seen both drivers finishing outside the top 10 in the last two races, placing Haas seventh in the Teams’ Championship, trailing Racing Bulls by 23 points.

During the British Grand Prix's media day, Bearman was candid about the team's predicament. "To be brutally honest, we've been out-developed," he said. "Our competitors have brought more significant upgrades than we have. So, seeing Alpine, Racing Bulls, and Audi overtaking us isn't shocking. We were on par with Williams in Austria, which only highlights our need to enhance the car's performance."

Bearman mentioned a minor upgrade for the current weekend, which he hopes will steer the team in the right direction. However, he emphasized the necessity to double down on efforts, as the competition isn't slowing down. The Silverstone event will be Bearman’s second home race in Formula 1. Despite the recent challenges, he’s enthusiastic about racing in front of a home crowd.

"I'm really looking forward to racing here again," Bearman said with a smile. "Silverstone is definitely one of the top tracks on the calendar. We'll see how it plays out this year with the current engines and power unit regulations. But as an event, it's a highlight for me, especially with family and local fans cheering us on. Nigel Mansell used to say the home crowd can give you three-tenths, and I'm hoping for that boost."

Bearman acknowledges the weekend will be tough, especially after a challenging run at Spielberg where Haas was only the eighth-fastest car. "If that's our pace again, points might be elusive this weekend. But, you remember last year's race with the weather and Nico Hulkenberg ending up on the podium. It just shows anything can happen, and we need to keep our heads up and push hard because Formula 1 is all about seizing those unexpected opportunities."