Bearman says Haas contract delay is out of his hands and Ferrari is still his goal
Oliver Bearman will stay at Haas for 2027, but the length and terms of his new deal are still not settled. Speaking in Austin, he said the open points are not his to resolve, and that a Ferrari seat remains his ultimate goal.
A deal that is agreed in principle, not on paper
Oliver Bearman's 2027 plans look settled in direction but not in detail. Ahead of the United States Grand Prix, the 21-year-old told reporters, including RacingNews365, that he expects to stay with Haas next year, yet the new contract has still not been signed or announced. His seat is one of three on the 2027 grid that the teams have not yet confirmed officially.
Bearman said the remaining sticking points are "out of my hands" and that the contract length is "not really my remit". He is leaving those talks to his management and to Ferrari, whose Driver Academy he belongs to and which holds a major say in where he races. He described himself as committed to Haas, while adding that he feels he has earned the chance to look at a top-four team in the medium to long term.
Why Ferrari matters
Bearman is the most senior member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and is regarded as first in line for a promotion to the works team. The difficulty is timing. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both hold Ferrari seats for 2027, so no vacancy is guaranteed. Autosport argues that Hamilton's seat is the more likely to open first, and that Bearman, who calls it a question of timing, risks seeing another driver catch Ferrari's attention if he waits too long.
Haas has just filled the other side of its garage. Rafael Camara has been announced as Esteban Ocon's replacement, which makes Bearman the team's established driver heading into 2027. His reputation was built in 2024, when he stood in for the ill Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia and finished seventh, which helped lead to his full-time Haas seat in 2025.
The numbers behind the discussion
Our race data shows a season of mixed returns. After 17 rounds Bearman has 23 points and sits 13th in the drivers' championship. He has finished in the top ten four times, with a best result of fifth in Shanghai, followed by seventh in Melbourne, ninth in Baku and tenth in Montréal. He has also retired four times: at Suzuka, Monaco, Barcelona and Zandvoort.
The United States Grand Prix on Sunday is round 18. Neither Haas nor Ferrari has given a date for when the 2027 contract will be announced.
