Ollie Bearman says the unknowns of Formula 1’s 2026 rules are “horrible” but also offer “excitement”.
The young Haas driver enjoyed a strong end to his first full year on the grid in 2025, highlighted by an impressive fourth-place finish in Mexico.
However, the introduction of all-new cars and power units for this season means the competitive order has been thrown out of the window.
So while Bearman senses an opportunity to build on what he has started, he knows a big challenge awaits.
“I feel these changes are the biggest in the history of F1, so with that comes a huge deal of excitement for me,” he said earlier this year.
Also Read:
- Hamilton: 2026 rules the “biggest shift in my time” in F1
- Audi leaving “no stone unturned” after tricky maiden F1 test
“I’m heading into a regulation change for the first time in my life, really.
“Last year was a big step for me, but I think even from the beginning, we knew that if we put the car in the right window, we were still going to be able to fight for points, and we had an idea of the competitiveness of the car.
“That lack of knowledge heading into 2026 is good and bad, as on one side, I feel like we can really have an impact straight away, but also it’s horrible not knowing.
“I would like to skip forward six months to see where we are, but I’m going to be giving it everything to make sure that where we are is as high up as possible.”
Reflecting on 2025, Bearman’s thoughts can be described in one word: educational.
“It was a year where I certainly learned a lot, not only about myself as a person, or as an athlete, but also about F1,” he said.
“I’ve really increased my knowledge base infinitely because I’ve been put in experiences that you just can’t learn prior to experiencing them.
“I’ve definitely improved a lot in all of those areas and I’m really happy with how the season went, particularly the second half.
“I really upped my game, I felt like I started to put down some really good results that I was really happy with, and that was critical for me. I’m excited to continue that this year.”
Ferrari future?
2026 could also be significant for another reason, as Bearman remains part of the Ferrari driver program.
Currently, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s futures are to be confirmed, offering the 20-year-old a chance to impress the hierarchy at Maranello.
But Bearman himself insists those thoughts are still far away.
“I mean, we catch up from time to time and talk about challenges that I’m facing in my season of F1,” he revealed.
“Just an open dialogue, really. I like to make it clear what’s going on my side, because it’s easy to see just the result on paper, but that doesn’t always tell the full story. There’s often a lot more to it.
“But regarding my future, no conversation. I just drive the car. I think the rest will sort itself out if I perform at a good level.”
