Oliver Bearman so far in 2026: Quick out of the blocks and a bump in the road
01 April 2026As anticipation builds ahead of the 2026 British Grand Prix, we decided to take a look at the British F1 drivers and how their seasons have gone so far. This time it's the driver of #87, Oliver Bearman.
Although there’s only been three events so far this season, the young Brit has been building on his already sturdy reputation as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement in waiting.
His results in 2025, particularly towards the tail end of the season, and even his cameos in 2024 showed the paddock he was capable of running at the front.
This year, though, there’s something different about Bearman. It seems like he might’ve realised it himself.
A solid benchmark in Melbourne
At the start of F1’s new era, Haas arrived in Melbourne with a genuinely competitive, predictable package, and Bearman used it to good effect.
Having lined up 12th, he surged through the pack up to P7, and emerged as the leading driver outside Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.
Stepping up in Shanghai
At the Shanghai International Circuit, the final points-paying position in the Sprint race hinted that the ‘best of the rest’ title might be accurate for Haas, but the Grand Prix delivered something far more substantial.
Starting 10th, his race almost unravelled before it had even gotten started. As the field filtered onto the back straight, a spinning Isack Hadjar nearly collected Bearman, forcing him into evasive action.
He dropped back into the thick of midfield traffic, and what followed was a recovery drive masterclass.
Having made good progress back through the order in the early laps, a perfectly timed Safety Car allowed Bearman to pit for fresh Hard tyres, rejoining in ninth.
By the time those who were yet to pit had done so, Bearman was up to fifth. It wasn’t over yet, though. He still had to hold off four-time champion Max Verstappen for most of the second half of the race. Ollie managed to do just that, and brought home one of the best results of his F1 career to date.
Leaving China, Bearman sat fifth in the Drivers’ standings, with only drivers from Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team and Scuderia Ferrari ahead of him. Rare company for Haas, and a sign that both car and driver were punching above their weight.
Crashing back down to earth in Suzuka
Then came Suzuka Circuit, and with it, the kind of moment that tests a young driver. Qualifying unravelled first. A difficult session left Bearman down in 18th, forcing him into recovery mode before the race had even begun.
Still, early laps suggested progress as he began working forward through the field, but on Lap 22, his race was brought to a dramatic end.
Approaching Spoon Curve at high speed, Bearman encountered a rapidly closing gap to Franco Colapinto. With a significant speed differential under braking, he was forced into evasive action, touching the grass and losing control before a heavy impact with the barriers.
A 50G crash at over 300 km/h is the kind that makes the paddock sit up and watch.
The positives came immediately. Bearman walked away and was physically cleared by the medical team.
For Ollie, the important distinction lies in the context of his accident. It was not an unforced error. It was the byproduct of drivers at the limits of an unpredictable variable in a new set of regulations.
Full focus on the rest of the season
The extended gap between Suzuka and Miami can become a reset point for Bearman.
The ingredients are undeniably there for him to be scoring good points and scoring them regularly this season.
Japan may have interrupted his momentum, but if he can mentally recover during this hiatus, it shouldn’t disrupt the flow of his season.
