Esteban Ocon: Bearman is technically better than any other rookie

(Motorsport-Total.com) - When it comes to the question of who will be the 2025 Rookie of the Year, many might have Andrea Kimi Antonelli or Isack Hadjar in mind. However, for Esteban Ocon, another newcomer stands out, one he has been able to observe very closely: his own teammate Oliver Bearman.

The Briton has a much tougher time at Haas than most of his rookie colleagues, yet he's still impressed Ocon quite a bit: "He's great," the Frenchman praised his teammate's performance in the first phase of the season. "It's been fantastic; the team and the collaboration have been great."

Bearman is a super-fast, very talented, and very professional driver who pays enormous attention to detail, especially when it comes to the car's setup, Ocon emphasizes. This immediately caught his eye.

And: "Technically, he's better than any rookies I've seen in the past. He's much better prepared than I was when I came into Formula 1, or than anyone from our generation, I'd say."

While Ocon was thrown in at the deep end at Manor after the summer break in 2016, Bearman had good support as a Ferrari junior. The youngster also participated in three Grands Prix as a reserve driver last year – one for Ferrari in Jeddah and two for Haas in Baku and Sao Paulo.

2005: 6 Rookies - 16. Tiago Monteiro (Jordan/7 points), 18. Narain Karthikeyan (Jordan/5), 19. Christijan Albers (Minardi/4), 21. Patrick Friesacher (Minardi/3), 24. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Red Bull/1) and 25. Robert Doornbos (Minardi/0) Photo gallery

His performances have put him on the map for a regular seat, while Haas has completely revamped its driver lineup with him and Ocon. "I think we work well together, we learn from each other," says Ocon. "It's been good working together, and there's a good atmosphere in this team."

"Especially the way we communicate in meetings and such is very strong, so I'm happy with our collaboration," he points out.

Team boss Ayao Komatsu also noticed this positively: "Honestly, it was great. That's exactly what I expected, but it's really nice to see it in reality," said the Japanese.

"We work with complete transparency within the team. Both know that the goal is to perform as a team," he says. "The fact that their driving styles are slightly different and their feedback differs also helps the team."

Both drivers will continue to work together next year, as both have contracts with Haas for 2026. And Ocon could imagine many more years to come for Bearman: "Honestly, I think he has a bright future in Formula 1, that's quite clear."