Haas F1 announce driver to partner Ollie Bearman next year

The British teenager will be one of two new drivers at the American-owned F1 team next year

Haas have announced that Esteban Ocon will join the F1 team in 2025 to partner Ollie Bearman.

Danish driver Kevin Magnussen, who rejoined the team in 2022 after a previous four-year stint between 2017-2020, has not had his contract extended by the American-owned F1 outfit.

And French driver Ocon, currently racing for Alpine, has been confirmed as the driver to replace Magnussen as Ayao Komatsu wields the changes for next season.

Ocon, 27, teams up with British teenager and Ferrari academy star Bearman, who has already been confirmed as a Haas driver next year.

“I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my Formula 1 career and join Haas F1 Team from the start of the 2025 season,” said Ocon, who claimed his only victory in F1 in Hungary three years ago. “I’ll be joining a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me.

“I’d like to thank Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for their trust and support, and for our honest and fruitful discussions these last few months. On a more personal note, I’m very happy to be working with Ayao again, as he’s been a part of my debut when I first stepped into a Formula 1 car during my Lotus Junior days more than ten years ago.

“Haas F1 Team has exciting plans and clear targets for the future, and I’m very much looking forward to working with everyone in Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello, and being part of this great project.”

It leaves Magnussen looking for a seat for next year, though his chances of salvaging a 2025 grid spot appear unlikely. Nico Hulkenberg, a Haas driver this season, moves to Sauber next year ahead of Audi’s team takeover in 2026.

Esteban Ocon will link up with Formula One rookie Ollie Bearman next season (PA Wire)

Ocon’s signature means Japanese team principal Komatsu has boldly signed up two new drivers for his team next year.

“I’m delighted we’ve secured Esteban Ocon’s services for Haas F1 Team,” stated Komatsu. “I’ve obviously been aware of his talents for a long time and our personal history dates back to Esteban’s maiden run in a Formula 1 car – I was his race engineer that day with Lotus.

“He displayed his talents back then coming off the back of strong performances in the junior categories – he’d just won the 2014 European Formula 3 Championship. Esteban’s gone on to become an established talent in Formula 1 and of course a grand prix winner. The experience he brings, not just from his own talent base but also from working for a manufacturer team, will be advantageous to us in our growth as an organization.

“It was vital we had a driver with experience in beside Oliver Bearman next year, but Esteban’s only 27 – he’s still young with a lot to prove as well. I think we have a hungry, dynamic driver pairing and I look forward to welcoming Esteban into Haas F1 Team for 2025.”