Haas F1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has praised Oliver Bearman's impressive performances in the early races of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The 20-year-old British driver has scored 17 of the team's 18 points, helping Haas to fourth in the constructors' standings. Komatsu stated he 'doesn't see the ceiling' for Bearman ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Oliver Bearman has made a strong impression in his sophomore F1 season with Haas. He finished seventh in Australia and fifth in China, outperforming teammate Esteban Ocon with a 3-1 lead in qualifying across the first three races, plus China's sprint. Bearman encountered a frightful accident at the Japanese Grand Prix when caught by Alpine's Franco Colapinto due to high closing speeds, as noted by team principal Ayao Komatsu on the eve of the weekend. Komatsu set a high bar for Bearman after his solid 2025 rookie year, which included a fourth-place finish in Mexico. Bearman showed rapid improvement in the latter half of that season. Haas sits fourth in the constructors' standings thanks largely to Bearman's contributions. Komatsu described Bearman's starts in Melbourne and Shanghai as 'faultless' and praised his attitude with engineers. 'Extremely impressive,' Komatsu said. 'The way he can learn and improve so quickly is part of what makes him amazing. He always has this amazing speed... I don't see the ceiling with him.' Bearman, on loan from Ferrari, has impressed in pre-season testing under new regulations, working effectively with the team on track and in the simulator.