Haas driver Ollie Bearman revealed the team has a “slightly modified car” that has been in the works for some time coming into the F1 Imola GP this weekend.
In Thursday’s print media day Bearman shared: “Yes, we do have an upgrade. It’s been in the pipeline for a while. Let’s see how it performs on track.”
Bearman also discussed the ongoing midfield battle between Williams, who are 5th in the Constructors’ Championship, with the American team in 6th place as they go head-to-head to secure a top 5 position as things stand.
During the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, Haas faced several challenges as lacked pace and reliability. Esteban Ocon finished 12th, while Bearman had to retire on lap 27 as a result of a power unit issue. In contrast, Williams ended with strong double points. Alex Albon in 5th place and Carlos Sainz in 9th.
Currently there’s a 17 point gap seperating Haas and Williams.
Bearman noted that the success of the British team is dependent on the track characteristics, although it’s clear the FW47 is a huge step forward versus 2024:
“I think they had a great weekend. Miami suits their characteristics, There were races where we were much closer to Williams—Suzuka and Bahrain come to mind. We seemed almost level with them.”
Looking ahead at the F1 Imola GP weekend, Ollie Bearman concentrates on the importance of car predictability and his own confidence with the car:
“As you get to the fine details, we find a bit of downforce, but the loss doesn’t really come across the board. Then the car can become a bit unpredictable, and that’s always a difficult feeling for a driver.”
Showing that performance and trust go hand in hand, linking his confidence in the car to stronger performance during races.
As the weekend progresses Bearman aspires to build better confidence with his car, and Haas aims to ensure a competitive edge with new upgrades that help improve their 2025 challenger.
“It’s just about gaining confidence with the car as much as possible. That’s not something I’m missing at the moment, but getting more days where I have confidence in the car would help me.”
