Haas F1 Team has officially confirmed that Oliver Bearman will replace Kevin Magnussen for the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix, marking the young British driver’s return to F1.
The decision marks a significant moment in Bearman’s burgeoning career, as he steps into a full race weekend with the Haas F1 Team after having previously showcased his talent in Formula 1.
The announcement comes following Magnussen’s suspension due to exceeding the penalty point limit on his super licence after a series of infractions that culminated in him accruing 12 penalty points within a 12-month period.
The most recent incident happened at Monza, where the Dane was deemed responsible for a collision with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. The incident not only resulted in a 10-second time penalty but also pushed him over the threshold for penalty points, leading to his suspension for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Therefore the Haas F1 team needed to look for a replacement for the upcoming race weekend and their 2025 signing Oliver Bearman was the logical choice to step in for Magnussen.
As one of the team’s reserve drivers, the 19-year-old British driver has been involved with the American outfit throughout the season, participating in four practice sessions with the VF-24 car besides his F2 commitments along with reserve role at Ferrari.
His previous Formula 1 drive came earlier this year when he subbed for Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and delivered an impressive performance, finishing in seventh place and scoring points on his debut.
The achievement not only highlighted his talent but also highlighted his potential as a future star in the sport. His experience will be crucial as he prepares for the challenges of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which features a unique street circuit known for its tight corners and high-speed sections.
“It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep time and so on, but I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience,” Bearman said following the announcement.
“I’ve also had four FP1 sessions with Haas in the VF-24 already this season, so undoubtedly that will also prove to be valuable in tackling the full race weekend in Baku.
“The team is in good form at the moment and I’ll do my best to be prepared with the time we have available. The aim is to get out there and have a solid weekend in Azerbaijan.”
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu added: “I’m excited that Ollie will be driving the VF-24 alongside Nico in Baku.
“He’s already shown great promise in his FP1 outings and post-season test, and he performed very well when he drove for Scuderia Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, picking up points in the process.
“This is another excellent opportunity for both Ollie and the team to work together, this time throughout an entire race weekend, and he couldn’t ask for better team-mate than Nico to provide him with a reference.”
Haas currently sit P7 in the Constructors’ Championship standings with 28 points as Magnussen is set to return at the Singapore Grand Prix later this month.
