When Esteban Ocon joined Haas a year ago, he sought a healthier environment than the one he experienced at Alpine. Now midway through the 2025 season, Ocon feels the change has been beneficial, both in terms of performance and team dynamics, highlighting the success of his Oliver Bearman Esteban Ocon partnership.
Building a Strong Bond Without Politics
Ocon’s past experiences with teammates like Pierre Gasly at Alpine and Sergio Perez at Force India were marked by tension and difficulties. In contrast, his collaboration with Oliver Bearman is defined by mutual respect and a shared passion for racing, free of internal politics. This positive connection underpins their productive and friendly partnership within Haas.
We have a little bit of the same passion,
Ocon told Motorsport.com.
Except that he’s a hooligan! Because he’s young, so he’s experiencing… For example, at Goodwood, we had this challenge of who’s going to bring back the biggest slick tyre after the run.
—Esteban Ocon, Haas driver
Bearman’s Daring Approach Impresses Ocon and Fans
At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Bearman captured attention with his fierce competitiveness, turning wet tyres into slicks through an impressive burnout on his Haas VF-23. His technical skill also came into focus; for instance, he pushed his gearbox to get the rear wheels spinning in seventh gear while traveling at just 30 km/h.
I would not have had the balls to do something like that! Even if you’re doing 30, if your rear wheels are doing 280, the car can do some weird stuff. It was quite funny to see all that!
—Esteban Ocon, Haas driver
Team Boss Ayao Komatsu Highlights Cooperative Spirit
Ayao Komatsu, Haas’s team principal, commended both drivers for their cooperative attitude, citing Ocon’s gesture at Spa where he allowed Bearman to pass without a formal team order. Even their on-track collision at Silverstone, which jeopardized Haas’s scoring potential, was quickly resolved through constructive dialogue and did not escalate further publicly.
I didn’t think about that, but it’s actually a good point,
Ocon reflected when asked about the absence of escalation following the Silverstone incident, which contrasted with past disputes involving Gasly and Perez.
That’s because, you know, we are very straight and honest between ourselves and straight away after the race, we sat down with Ayao there and we talked about different conditions, what we could have done better to avoid that scenario, where we should have taken care a bit more and [at] what part of the corner.
—Esteban Ocon, Haas driver
Their discussion helped maintain the good chemistry between Ocon and Bearman, allowing them to learn from the clash and improve race management moving forward.
A Partnership Rooted in Trust and Communication
Ocon describes his relationship with Bearman as the best he has ever had with a teammate, emphasizing the atmosphere of mutual understanding both on and off the track. He also praised the team environment, noting that Komatsu remains connected to the engineering side and supports a united team culture.
We really get along super well and it’s nice to have such atmosphere inside the team and the track. With the team boss as well – because sometimes the team boss can be quite disconnected to what’s happening inside the engineering room. We are all united, which is good.
—Esteban Ocon, Haas driver
Looking Ahead for Haas and Their Dynamic Duo
The Oliver Bearman Esteban Ocon partnership has brought a renewed sense of balance and positivity to Haas in 2025. Their ability to communicate openly, handle conflicts calmly, and share genuine enthusiasm positions the team well for continued growth throughout the season. With the support of team boss Ayao Komatsu and a collaborative team environment, Haas aims to build on this foundation to improve their performance and consistency in Formula 1.