Oliver Bearman Impresses with Haas, Highlights VF-26's Race Pace

Haas rookie Oliver Bearman has emerged as a standout performer in the early 2026 season, securing all 17 of the team's points and praising the balanced feel of the VF-26 chassis. His strong race pace, highlighted by a fifth-place finish in China, contrasts with teammate Esteban Ocon's point-less start, though team principal Ayao Komatsu believes both drivers had point-scoring potential in Shanghai.

Why it matters:

Bearman's immediate impact validates Haas's decision to promote the young Briton and provides a crucial bright spot for the American team. His ability to consistently extract performance and score points early demonstrates a maturity beyond his years and gives the team a solid foundation to build upon in the midfield battle, particularly against rivals like Alpine.

The details:

• Bearman sits an impressive fifth in the drivers' championship after two rounds, having finished seventh in Melbourne and fifth in Shanghai.
• He attributes the car's strength to its race-day performance, noting, "I think we're quicker in race trim at the moment. Qualifying has been a bit more challenging."
• His Chinese GP recovery was aided by safety car timing, which helped him recover from an early lap skirmish with Isack Hadjar and slot into a fight with Alpine's Pierre Gasly.
• While the Ferrari-powered Haas may lose out on pure top speed to the Mercedes-powered Alpine in qualifying, its race pace and balance allowed Bearman to manage the gap and secure fifth.
• Teammate Esteban Ocon's race was compromised by an unlucky safety car period for his hard-tyre strategy and a pit stop issue that put him behind Franco Colapinto, leading to a collision that cost him points.

What's next:

Haas heads to Japan with confirmed pace and points potential, but with clear areas to optimize. The team will focus on improving single-lap qualifying performance to make Sunday afternoons easier. Komatsu has set the target of getting both cars into the points, believing it is achievable based on their Shanghai showing. The development race with Alpine, which appears very close on long-run pace, will be a key storyline to watch.