Haas is clearly on the rise, and Oliver Bearman is becoming its most visible symbol. After a 2025 season marked by flashes of brilliance, mistakes, and valuable learning moments, the British driver appears to have started 2026 at a completely different level. “Truly impressive,” admits team principal Ayao Komatsu candidly. “But to be honest, we set a very high target for Ollie because he keeps improving every single time. The way he is able to learn and develop so quickly is part of what makes him incredible. He has always had impressive speed — there has never been any doubt about that — but the reason I’m so excited is that I don’t see a limit to him.”
This is a significant statement, especially in Formula 1, where team principals are usually very cautious when speaking about young drivers in such definitive terms. Komatsu, however, speaks with conviction. He does not limit his praise to raw speed or natural talent, but places particular emphasis on Bearman’s growing completeness as a driver — his ability to absorb information, work closely with engineers, and improve not only on track but also in preparation and development off track.
In this sense, Bearman is becoming the sporting cornerstone around which Haas is building its present and future. His early-season results speak for themselves: his performances have pushed the team toward the top of the midfield, and in the direct comparison with Esteban Ocon, at least in this opening phase, he has come out ahead. For this reason, the Japanese team principal continues to stress that his job is not to worry about a potential future call-up from Ferrari, but to maximise what Bearman can deliver for Haas right now.
Not only Bearman: Komatsu on Ocon’s precision and struggles
The other side of the garage belongs to Esteban Ocon, a very different profile, chosen by Komatsu for specific reasons: experience, hunger, method, and strong work ethic.
“The reason I wanted Esteban was his work ethic,” the Japanese team principal explained. “He is clearly very fast when he has a car he likes. He is a proven quality driver, a race winner, and has been in Formula 1 for many years. And I knew he leaves no stone unturned.”
However, Komatsu does not hide the difficulties the French driver has faced, particularly in one very sensitive area: braking. “Whenever he really struggled in qualifying, the problem was the brakes,” he said. “If he does not have confidence under braking, he cannot push hard enough. He cannot drive around the problem.”
This also provides useful context for understanding the internal comparison with Bearman. Ocon has not been written off in any way, but so far he has appeared more sensitive to certain weaknesses in the package. In race conditions, where braking at the absolute limit is less critical over every single lap, the issue is less pronounced; in qualifying, however, even small limitations can cost significant time. For Haas, consistently unlocking the best version of Ocon would mean pushing the team’s overall performance ceiling even higher.
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