Following Esteban Ocon’s transition to Haas the previous year, his main objective was to find a more agreeable and encouraging atmosphere compared to his experiences at Alpine. Now that we’re in the middle of 2025, he’s of the opinion that the change has brought about positive outcomes, impacting both performance levels and the overall dynamic within the team.
Having navigated challenging partnerships with fellow racers, notably Pierre Gasly while at Alpine and Sergio Perez during his time with Force India, Ocon shares that he’s presently experiencing genuine satisfaction in his collaborative work with Oliver Bearman. The French driver underlines the mutual dedication to racing that they share, along with the lack of political maneuvering, as vital elements underpinning their robust alliance.
“We possess a similar level of passion,” Ocon conveyed to Autosport. “With the exception that he is a bit of a wild card! This is because he is still young, so he is still experimenting… Take Goodwood, for instance, we engaged in a friendly competition to see who could return with the slickest tire after driving.”
Bearman emerged as the victor in this contest, resulting in widely shared content on social media from Goodwood, as he successfully converted the wet tires on Haas’s VF-23 into slicks through an impressive display of controlled wheelspin.
“He discovered unique methods to outsmart the gearbox’s computer and all related systems. He managed to get his rear tires spinning at the equivalent of 7th gear while only moving at 30kph.
“I would not have dared to try anything like that! Even at a speed of 30, when your rear tires are rotating at a rate comparable to 280, the vehicle has the potential to behave unpredictably. Watching it unfold was quite amusing!”
Ayao Komatsu, who is in charge of the Haas team, has commended both racers for the way they work together. He used the instance at Spa where Ocon willingly allowed Bearman to pass, without needing to be instructed by the team, as a prime example. Even their collision at Silverstone, which potentially cost Haas some crucial points, was managed efficiently: the two racers and Komatsu had a discussion following the race, and the event
