As we moved closer to the Formula One summer break, Haas F1 Team announced Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon as their driver line up for the 2025 Formula One campaign.
Esteban Ocon currently drives for the Alpine F1 Team. It was announced after the tumultuous opening lap of the 2024 Monaco GP, that Ocon and Alpine’s partnership would not continue past the current season. The announcement came in the wake of an opening lap incident between Esteban Ocon and his teammate, Pierre Gasly. Ocon had made his comeback in 2020 with the then Renault team, after he had to sit out the 2019 season. He went onto secure both his first podium and win with the French team.
Ollie Bearman, on the other hand, will join the F1 grid for a complete season with Haas F1. Bearman made his debut this season during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, when he had to replace Carlos Sainz, the Scuderia Ferrari driver, as he had to undergo an appendicitis surgery. Bearman scored points on his F1 debut, finishing the race in P7.
During the 2024 F1 Belgian Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon was asked whether he knew Ollie Bearman prior to being linked together as teammates from 2025 onwards.
Although the Frenchman denied knowing Bearman beforehand, he did mention that there was an interaction between the future-teammates in Hungary, this season.
“Yeah, I’ve spoken to him actually in Budapest. That’s probably the first time that we met,” said the Frenchman.
He then goes on to praise the young British talent, stating a number of people think that Bearman will become a world champion in the future.
“Ollie is a very young, exciting prospect in Formula 1.”
“Many people are saying that he’s going to be a future world champion. I can’t wait to be teaming up with him. As I said, he’s going to bring also fresh blood into the team, new ideas.”
“I’m also going to try and add to the team. I’m sure our collaboration is going to be great to lead this team forward, and hopefully going where we want to go,” adds Ocon.
When asked whether Ocon would be willing to help the young rookie out, he joked that it would be the other way around, since Bearman knows the team as a result of driving in FP1s for the team.
“I don’t think Ollie needs my help on anything. He probably has more experience with the team than I will have next year. He’s been driving a lot in FP1s, in testing as well.”
“I’m probably going to have to ask him a lot more things than I will have to give him tips.”
Ocon seems keen to partner with Bearman in Haas for 2025. He aims that their collaboration will be fruitful for the team, as with their knowledge, experience and freshness – the team could progress forward.
“There’s not going to be any of that, I think. We’re just going to be very open on the whole situation, trying to get the team to the right technical way very early on.”
“That’s going to start for sure, quite quickly.”
