Ayao Komatsu: “No point worrying” about Bearman moving to Ferrari at some point

Ollie Bearman’s rise through the 2026 Formula 1 season has been one of the defining stories of the early campaign — and Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu is clear-eyed about what that could mean for the future.

A breakout start to 2026

That form builds on a strong second half to his rookie campaign last year, highlighted by an impressive fourth-place finish in Mexico City. He also underlined his progress by beating his more experienced team mate Esteban Ocon in the 2025 standings.

Komatsu has been particularly struck by Bearman’s headroom for growth.

“I haven't seen [his] limit yet,” he said on Beyond The Grid. “I'm really looking forward to this year. He's got huge, huge potential.”

Ferrari connections remain in the background

Bearman’s performances naturally intensify speculation about a future move to Ferrari. The Briton has long-standing links with the Scuderia as a former Academy driver and made his Formula 1 debut for Ferrari at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, stepping in for Carlos Sainz when the Spaniard was sidelined due to appendicitis.

The Haas–Ferrari relationship further strengthens that narrative. Haas run Ferrari power units in their VF-26, and the operational ties between the two teams are well established.

Ferrari’s current race line-up features Charles Leclerc — who signed a long-term extension in 2024 — and Lewis Hamilton, who joined on a multi-year deal from 2025. Even so, Bearman’s upward trajectory inevitably raises questions about whether the Scuderia could consider him for a future promotion.

“Control what you can control”

Komatsu, however, is pragmatic about the situation.

“It's no point worrying about it,” he said when asked about the possibility of losing Bearman to Ferrari.

“I'm a strong believer in controlling what you can control. Ferrari has been investing in him for many, many years.”

Haas, he stressed, must focus on maximising what they have now.

“So, we’ve got him for last year and this year, so we’ve got to focus on what we can control. If we've done a great job with Ollie, and Ollie performed so well that Ferrari really wants to take him the following year, we have to be happy that we've done our job.”

Any future scenario, Komatsu suggested, would ultimately be handled through discussion between the two teams.

“[In the future] that'll be just a discussion between us and Ferrari. We all are just focused on getting the best performance out of the car and out of Ollie. If that meant we lost him for next year, hopefully not. But that's not something we can control.”

Haas leading the midfield fight

Haas’ strong start has not been limited to Bearman’s individual form. The team currently sits fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, leading the midfield battle and holding a two-point advantage over Alpine and Red Bull.

For now, the message from Komatsu is simple: extract maximum performance, nurture Bearman’s potential, and let the future take care of itself. If Ferrari come calling, it will likely be because both driver and team have succeeded in their mission.