Ollie Bearman expressed his excitement following Haas’ impressive performance on the first day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He finished the second practice session in fourth place, highlighting the team’s potential.
Challenges in Practice 1
During the first practice session, Bearman encountered some difficulties. He lost power on track, which led to a race engineer reporting a “leak.” This issue forced him to return to the pits, significantly affecting his time on the circuit. He managed to rejoin later, utilizing a set of medium tires, and finished the session in eighth place, just two-tenths behind Lando Norris.
However, a recurring problem prompted Haas to retire the car for the remainder of practice. It was later confirmed that the issue stemmed from a sensor malfunction.
Strong Performance in Practice 2
In stark contrast, Bearman thrived in the second practice session, setting impressive lap times on soft tires and securing fourth place. Cooler conditions provided an opportunity for drivers to enhance their performances, with Norris leading the pack by 0.363 seconds over Max Verstappen. Bearman trailed by four-tenths, but his results marked a successful day for Haas.
Bearman’s Insights
Following the session, Bearman shared his enthusiasm with his radio engineer, stating, “Mate, the car is insane! I don’t know how it’s so good.” He acknowledged that despite his limited time in practice one, he felt confident about the car’s capability. He noted a competitive spirit with a strong potential during FP1.
- FP1 Performance: Finished P8 due to mechanical issues.
- FP2 Performance: Finished P4 with consistent lap times.
- Key Competitor: Lando Norris leading with a 0.363s advantage.
Looking Ahead
Bearing in mind the tight margins of the competition, Bearman acknowledged the necessity of optimizing performance ahead of qualifying. He remarked on the close proximity to other frontline competitors, including George Russell of Mercedes. This positions him well for chasing his second top-five finish this season, particularly after finishing fourth at the Mexican Grand Prix.
With a DNF in his last outing in Qatar, Bearman aims for a strong qualifying performance to help Haas climb up the standings. This is particularly significant as they seek to surpass Aston Martin for seventh place overall.
Strategic Focus on Qualifying
When asked about their approach for the next sessions, Bearman indicated a strategic shift towards enhancing one-lap pace rather than focusing solely on long runs. He commented on Haas’ strengths generally lying in race performance but expressed confidence that refining their qualifying setup would not be problematic.
