Bearman to get latest FP1 chance with Haas in Barcelona as Komatsu says youngster under serious consideration for 2025

Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu has confirmed that Oliver Bearman will make his next practice outing with the squad at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, adding to a recent run out in Imola.

Ferrari-backed Bearman is one of the hottest prospects in the paddock at present, having underlined his junior credentials with a starring stand-in performance for the Scuderia – replacing the unwell Carlos Sainz – at this year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

READ MORE: Who is Oliver Bearman? The Briton’s career so far

A previous Italian and ADAC F4 champion, and third-place finisher in F3, the 19-year-old Briton is now tackling F2 alongside official F1 reserve driver duties for Ferrari and Haas.

While his current F2 campaign has been a rollercoaster ride so far, leaving him 13th in the standings after five rounds, Bearman continues to impress when given the opportunity in F1 machinery.

He first appeared in FP1 for Haas at the 2023 Mexican and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix and sampled the VF-24 during the recent Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend – placing a respectable 15th on the timesheets.

Asked about Bearman’s prospects of turning these practice runs into a full-time seat for 2025, and when he will appear in a practice session again, Komatsu made it clear that the youngster is at the forefront of his mind.

INSIGHT: How Ferrari super-sub Bearman made his mark on and off the track in Saudi Arabia

“Of course we are evaluating him,” said Komatsu. “If he is not [under] consideration, we wouldn’t be running him in FP1, and the next time he’s going to be in the car is in Barcelona.”

Bearman, who is set to complete four more FP1 runs with Haas as the season goes on, will replace Nico Hulkenberg for the opening 60-minute session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Haas have yet to confirm either of their two drivers for next season, with Hulkenberg heading to Kick Sauber and Kevin Magnussen attempting to extend his latest stint at the team into what would be a fourth campaign since returning to Haas in 2022.

Pushed on the driver market, and how many candidates the team are speaking to, Komatsu added: “I don’t particularly have a timeframe, it’s more about getting the right driver for our team.

READ MORE: Bearman wants to be back in F1 ‘as quickly as possible’

“We are still a pretty small team. To have somebody experienced, somebody who’s got a really good work ethic, to integrate with the team well and really push the team forward… that’s what we’re looking for, so we’re talking with several different drivers.”

Thanks to top-10 finishes in Saudi Arabia, Australia and China, Haas sit seventh in the constructors’ standings after nine of this year’s 24 scheduled rounds, 21 points behind RB and two ahead of Alpine.