Ayao Komastu opens up about Oliver Bearman's future in F1, says he is facing a 'six-hour' job interview

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu views the six first-practice sessions scheduled for Oliver Bearman this season as a significant opportunity. Bearman who is vying for a spot on the Formula 1 grid next year will look to utilize these sessions to showcase his potential. This weekend, Bearman continues his F1 learning curve with an FP1 outing by stepping in for Kevin Magnussen.

Speaking about it Ayao Komastu said, "We've got six FP1 sessions, and that's a golden opportunity for us to work with him and then assess how he is, where he is, what his strengths or weaknesses are, and see where we can develop him and work together if we want to. So, it's a pretty good job interview situation.”

"I'm not hoping for some misfortune on the car or anything, but at some point, he will face some obstacles and some things that won't go his way - a car issue, a yellow- or red-flag situation, or whatever. It's then how he handles that stuff, being in a compromised situation, how he's still going to have to focus and behave in a manner that he can get the best out of it”, he further added.

Can Oliver Bearman get a spot?

Oliver Bearman's journey in Formula 1 has been marked by notable milestones, including FP1 appearances for Haas last year in Mexico and Abu Dhabi. Additionally, his impressive performance with Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, standing in for Carlos Sainz during the latter's recovery from appendix surgery, further solidified his credentials. 

With a cumulative six hours of practice time across this season's sessions, Bearman finds himself on the brink of potentially replacing the departing Nico Hulkenberg in 2025. While Komatsu hopes to see Bearman confronted with new challenges in Formula 1, the Japanese mentor is confident in the 19-year-old's ability to handle any situation that arises. 

This assurance was evident during Bearman's interaction with the media at Imola, where he exuded confidence and composure, traits that have translated seamlessly into his performances on the track. Despite the weighty expectations placed on Bearman's shoulders, Komatsu views this as an essential aspect of his development.