The head of Haas has stated that Oliver Bearman's challenging season in Formula 2 won't influence his choices for the team's 2025 driver lineup.
According to most paddock insiders, the British teenager, promoted by Ferrari, is almost certain to secure a full-time F1 seat next year.
This is despite Bearman, who made an impression substituting for the unwell Carlos Sainz at Ferrari earlier this year and is currently engaged in an intense Friday practice schedule with Haas, being in 14th place in the Formula 2 standings with the top Prema team.
His Prema teammate, Kimi Antonelli, who is widely anticipated to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next year, is not faring much better, sitting in 9th place with no wins to his name.
Regarding Bearman, Haas boss Ayao Komatsu emphasized that the 18-year-old's difficult F2 season will not affect his decision.
"I place much more importance on how he works with us," he told Ekstra Bladet newspaper at the Austrian GP.
"We have enough F1 sessions to look at him. Last week he drove F1 with us, then debriefing and off he went to F2 qualifying. It's just one lap and not how you should prepare for F2 obviously," the Japanese insisted.
Komatsu also refrained from blaming Bearman and Antonelli for their challenging F2 seasons.
"I have no idea what problems Prema has with the car under the new rules," he said. "I hear a little, but unless you know all the details, you can easily jump to the wrong conclusions. I am more focused on what is under our control.
"Of course it would be easier if he just won everything, but that is not the reality. So you have to trust the information you have. And the bigger picture is what happened in Saudi Arabia, for example," said Komatsu, referring to Bearman's debut F1 points when he stepped in for Sainz.
