'Like I was in a video game!' - Ollie Bearman delivers verdict as Haas F1 Team get off to storming start
The Banbury-based Haas got the 2026 Formula 1 season off to a flyer, scoring a haul of points at the Australian Grand Prix.
Haas, supported for the campaign ahead by a spirited workforce at its UK headquarters in Banbury, impressed in Melbourne as the leaders of the midfield pack.
Brackley outfit Mercedes clinched a one-two finish, Ferrari locked out the second row and McLaren and Red Bull rounded off the top six, but it was Haas next across the line.
British driver Oliver Bearman qualified in a respectable 12th place but his time to shine was on the Sunday, as the 20-year-old came home in P7 to clinch Haas a precious six points.
Bearman’s teammate, Esteban Ocon, also gained positions in the race but was frustrated to finish outside of the points in P11, behind fellow Frenchman Pierre Gasly.
Ahead of Australia, Haas were among the teams tipped to be the ‘best of the rest’ outside the four front-runners, so it was a promising start in terms of meeting those expectations.
"I think it's the best we can do. We benefited from a few retirements at the front, but that's normal in the first race under new regulations,” said Bearman.
"Using the boost button, I sometimes felt a bit like I was in a video game!"
Haas, fifth in the Constructors’ standings and two points ahead of the sixth-placed Racing Bulls following round one, will be eager to get both drivers in the top 10 as they head to Asia.
The Chinese GP should be an interesting one, as the back straight at the Shanghai International Circuit is 1.17 kilometres long and early indications suggest teams may struggle to charge up their batteries sufficiently before taking it on each lap.
Given just how important the batteries and power units are set to be this season, China should be a good litmus test for Haas as they assess just how well they might be able to fare against their rivals.
As it’s a sprint weekend, there is only one free practice session on Friday, followed by sprint qualifying on the same day. Then, on Saturday, it’s qualifying ahead of the race early on Sunday morning.