Ollie Bearman Eyes Ferrari Seat Amid Leclerc's Contract News

Ollie Bearman, the young Brit racing for Haas, has made it clear that his long-term ambition is to race for Ferrari. This comes on the heels of Charles Leclerc's announcement of a new multi-year contract with the iconic team, confirming that the Monégasque driver will stay in red for the foreseeable future.

Bearman, who joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2022, made a memorable F1 debut with Ferrari during the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Filling in for an unwell Carlos Sainz, he managed to score points with a P7 finish. Now in his second full season with Haas, the 21-year-old has kicked off the year with strong performances, catching the eye of many, including his team boss, Ayao Komatsu. Komatsu has stated that there's "no point worrying" about potentially losing Bearman to Ferrari.

Speaking during media day in Monaco, Bearman commented on Leclerc's contract extension, saying, "First of all, it's really cool to see Charles renewing. He's been there a long time and had a lot of success. I don't know about you guys, but I only see Charles in red, and it's really nice to see him renewing, especially before his home race – it must be very nice."

Bearman added, "Of course, that's my target one day [to join Ferrari], but at the moment I'm focused on my job here at Haas and also enjoying it." When pressed on whether Ferrari reached out to him before announcing Leclerc's extension, Bearman responded, "No, that's nothing to do with me. It's his own thing, and I’m very happy to see Charles renewing."

Reflecting on recent performances, Bearman noted the challenges faced in Canada, where he finished P10. "Canada was tough. We were expecting a nice step with the upgrade we had. In the end, we saw the step we were expecting, but the characteristics of the car became a bit more challenging," he explained. "We've had this week off now to really understand it and understand what situations the car likes. Hopefully, this weekend we can have a more performative car."

Looking ahead to the Monaco Grand Prix, Bearman remains optimistic. "I hope so. Our biggest issue has been on straight-line speed. On this circuit, that shouldn't really play against us too much, which should mean we're going to be a bit more competitive," he said. "We know this race is tough – it's all about Qualifying, the race itself is not the main show, let's say. So we're going to be focusing as much as possible to have a good Saturday and I'll do my best."