Haas returned to the Formula 1 top 10 in emphatic fashion at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, scoring with both cars for the first time this season. Esteban Ocon finished eighth and Oliver Bearman ninth in Baku, ending a difficult run for the American team and delivering an important boost in its Constructors’ Championship battle with Audi.
The result confirmed the encouraging signs Haas had already shown during qualifying. After several difficult rounds, the VF-26 looked far more competitive throughout the Azerbaijan weekend, allowing both drivers to capitalise on a chaotic race and finally convert that improvement into points.
Haas scores double points for first time in 2026
Haas had not scored since the Monaco Grand Prix, when Esteban Ocon finished ninth. That drought finally ended in Baku, and in the best possible way, with both cars inside the top 10.
Ocon crossed the line eighth, while Oliver Bearman followed immediately behind in ninth. It marked the first time during the 2026 season that both Haas drivers had scored in the same Grand Prix and allowed the team to extend its advantage over Audi in the Constructors’ Championship.
The result was particularly significant after a sequence of races in which Haas had struggled to translate occasional signs of pace into points. In Azerbaijan, however, the team remained competitive throughout the weekend and took advantage when opportunities emerged during the Grand Prix.
Esteban Ocon narrowly loses seventh to Arvid Lindblad
Despite starting behind his team-mate, Esteban Ocon steadily climbed through the field and reached seventh place as the race developed. Only a last-gasp move from Arvid Lindblad on the run to the finish denied the Frenchman P7, with the Racing Bulls driver crossing the line just ahead.
“It may only be P8, but it was a hard-fought one, and I’m very happy,” Esteban Ocon said. “We were struggling a little bit at the beginning, but we got more front-end at the pit stop, and that’s what we needed. We were flying from there, and from the restart, we were only moving forward, which is so good.
“I lost a place to Arvid on the main straight, it was a little bit chaotic, particularly with the yellow flag and maybe I judged it a little bit on the safe side, but he was too fast on the straight regardless.
“We deserve all of this, and it’s very positive for the next two races in this triple-header. We deserve it, and I deserve it.”
Ocon ultimately finished only 0.030 seconds behind Lindblad, underlining just how close Haas came to securing an even stronger result.
Oliver Bearman ends points drought dating back to Canada
The same Arvid Lindblad also denied Oliver Bearman a potential eighth place during the closing stages, but ninth was still enough for the British driver to end a long run outside the points stretching back to the Canadian Grand Prix.
More importantly for Bearman, both Haas cars made it into the top 10 together after several frustrating weekends.
“To do this with both cars makes me really happy, and everyone in this team should be so proud,” Oliver Bearman said. “To be in the points with Esteban is a very rewarding feeling, especially after the challenges we’ve had over the last few events.
“I’m incredibly happy, although I’m disappointed at how I lost out in the first restart, it was absolute mayhem. I ended up losing a position, but honestly, it doesn’t matter as we’re both in the points.
“It was challenging towards the end as we were the only cars on mediums, and there were a lot of cars around us on softs, but we made it happen.”
Baku result gives Haas momentum for Malaysia and Singapore
The tyre disadvantage made the closing stages particularly demanding. Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman were surrounded by rivals on the faster soft compound while both Haas cars were still running on mediums, forcing them to defend their positions under considerable pressure.
They nevertheless held off the cars behind and secured six valuable championship points between them. After months of difficult results, the performance offered Haas tangible evidence that its recent work is beginning to produce a stronger overall package.
The timing is also useful as Formula 1 continues directly into Malaysia and Singapore, completing the current triple-header. Ocon described the Baku result as an important confidence boost ahead of those two races, while Bearman highlighted the significance of both sides of the garage finally being rewarded together.
For Haas, eighth and ninth may not be headline-grabbing positions in isolation, but in the context of its 2026 campaign they represent a major step. After scoring nothing since Monaco, the team leaves Azerbaijan with both cars in the points, renewed momentum and a stronger position in its midfield battle.
Leave a Reply