Haas F1 Team remains fourth in the Formula 1 constructors' standings after the opening rounds in Melbourne and Shanghai. Oliver Bearman's consistent points finishes—seventh in Australia and fifth in China—have propelled the American team ahead of midfield rivals amid Red Bull's troubles.
Building on their impressive Shanghai result, Haas continues to defy pre-season expectations in the 2026 Formula 1 season under new regulations. With points from both opening races, the team leads the midfield ahead of teams like Alpine and Williams, temporarily surpassing a struggling Red Bull.
Young driver Oliver Bearman has been instrumental, building on his late-2025 momentum (including fourth in Mexico). In Australia, he scored seventh; in China, he advanced to Q3, started tenth, and finished fifth—the top non-Mercedes/Ferrari runner. Bearman ran ahead of Max Verstappen for laps before the Red Bull's retirement and deftly avoided a first-lap spin by teammate Isack Hadjar. The team's solid race pace shone in Shanghai's tyre-graining conditions, with strong management potentially enabling double points absent a collision between Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Williams' Franco Colapinto.
The VF-26 chassis, led by technical director Andrea De Zordo, excels in cornering despite the Mercedes customer's engine deficits versus factory teams. Haas ranked second in laps completed at Barcelona testing (behind Mercedes only), prioritizing energy deployment and tyres—key in the new cycle. This mirrors their potent 2022 start, now enhanced by better resources.
As covered post-Shanghai, team principal Ayao Komatsu hailed beating Red Bull 'on merit.' Sustaining development will be vital amid rapid evolution.
