Oliver Bearman’s potential future at Ferrari hinges on addressing a series of costly errors that plagued his first F1 season. The British driver, who impressed in lower formulas, earned a Haas seat for 2025 after a standout performance for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia in 2024.
Bearman’s Rocky Start at Haas
Bearman’s debut at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix was far from ideal. He crashed in both free practice sessions, putting him on the back foot immediately.
While Ferrari might excuse a junior driver pushing the limits, Bearman’s subsequent issues with FIA race stewards raised concerns. He accumulated a significant 10 penalty points for various infractions during the season. This total is exceptionally high for a single season.
Penalty Points Threaten Race Ban
A recurring problem for Bearman was his failure to adhere to red flag regulations. At Monaco, he overtook under red flags during free practice, resulting in a 10-place grid penalty and points on his licence.
The situation worsened at Silverstone, where Bearman failed to slow sufficiently for red flags in FP3, ultimately crashing into the barriers. This incident earned him a 10-place grid penalty and four penalty points on his super licence.
Bearman himself has acknowledged his error-strewn start, admitting that the first half of his rookie season included “very costly mistakes”. The other four points came at Italy, Brazil and Abu Dhabi and leave Bearman teetering on the edge of an F1 race ban.
Ferrari’s Future Interest at Stake
FIA penalty points remain on a driver’s Super Licence for 12 months, meaning Bearman has to walk the tightrope until the end of May when his Monaco points are revoked.
The possibility of a race ban looms. What if Haas produces a competitive car capable of scoring points or even a podium in the first six races, and Bearman is sidelined? He would have missed an opportunity to impress Ferrari and strengthen his claim to Hamilton’s seat.
Ferrari, seeking a return to championship glory after almost 20 years without a title, desires a “finished product” capable of winning. If Bearman fails to eliminate the mistakes in 2026, Ferrari might reconsider pursuing him. Charles Leclerc was incident-prone at Sauber.