F1 team boss makes key decision over Ferrari star in driver REPLACEMENT talks

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F1 team boss makes key decision over Ferrari star in driver REPLACEMENT talks

Komatsu speaks on Magnussen's Haas seat

Jay Winter

Tuesday 17 September 2024 10:58

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has shut down suggestions that Ollie Bearman could be an immediate replacement for Kevin Magnussen, who served a one-race suspension during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Komatsu admitted that while Bearman, who is set to join Haas in 2025, is not a serious consideration for the remainder of the season, the idea had crossed his mind.

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Magnussen received the ban after accruing 12 penalty points over a 12-month period, automatically triggering a suspension of his super licence.

The Dane’s absence in Baku opened the door for Bearman to step in, marking his second appearance as a super-sub after previously filling in for Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia and going on to secure another world championship point - landing a record achievement in doing so.

Ollie Bearman speaking to the media in Baku

Komatsu on Magnussen’s Future at Haas

Despite Magnussen’s suspension and speculation surrounding his future, Komatsu is standing by his current driver, largely due to the Dane's performance at the Italian Grand Prix.

Magnussen finished 10th at Monza, even after being hit with a 10-second penalty for a collision with Alpine's Pierre Gasly — a clash that also earned him the final two penalty points leading to his suspension.

"You saw in Monza how Kevin can race," said Komatsu.

Magnussen earned himself a race ban after picking up 12 points

"This is Kevin's strength. He can race. Sometimes he can be too aggressive, like in Miami, but then he can race like he did in Monza."

Komatsu praised Magnussen’s ability to open up a nine-second gap on Williams' Alex Albon, despite being neck-and-neck in qualifying.

"Honestly, I never believed he could open up that much of a gap. Maybe three, four seconds at best," Komatsu added.

"That is what Kevin can do."

For now, Komatsu confirmed that the plan is to reinstate Magnussen for the Singapore Grand Prix, though Bearman’s performance this weekend will be closely monitored.

Bearman will be replacing Magnussen at Haas in 2025

Bearman Impresses in Baku Practice

Bearman’s debut for Haas in Baku has been a promising one.

Komatsu praised the young Ferrari star’s performance during free practice, where Bearman finished 10th, just 1.063 seconds behind fastest driver Charles Leclerc.

"Honestly, it's impressive," said Komatsu.

"It’s really good to be honest for both drivers... for Ollie to be just up there, it is pretty good."

Nico Hulkenberg, Bearman’s team-mate for the weekend, finished eighth in FP2, highlighting a strong overall performance from Haas in the early stages of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

As Bearman continues to impress in his stand-in role, conjecture has grown around whether he could be a long-term solution for Haas, potentially replacing Magnussen ahead of his full-time 2025 debut.

However, Komatsu remains cautious about making any immediate decisions.

“At the moment all I can say is our baseline is to bring Kevin back in Singapore, but of course this weekend we want to know how Ollie is doing as well,” Komatsu explained.

With it confirmed that Ollie Bearman will join Haas alongside Esteban Ocon in 2025, the young Ferrari reserve driver is already making a case for his readiness.

His impressive showing in Azerbaijan further solidifies his potential as a future star in F1.

As Bearman continues to gain experience, his development will be closely watched, with Haas already securing a promising lineup for the future.

The focus now shifts to how Bearman will transition into his full-time role, as Haas look to build a competitive partnership between him and the experienced Ocon in the years ahead.

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