Haas is entering its 10th season in F1 and will be attempting to start strong under the new regulations. Both Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon are returning for a 2nd season with the American-based team. There will be plenty of familiar faces within Haas as they enter the unknown of the new regulations.

Key Haas team facts

Full Team Name	TGR Haas F1 Team
Base	Kannapolis, North Carolina, U.S.
Team Principal	Ayao Komatsu
Technical Director	Andrea De Zordo
Engine Supplier	Ferrari
2025 Championship Position	8th

2026 Haas drivers

Esteban Ocon: Both Ocon and Bearman are entering their 2nd seasons as full-time drivers for Haas, but there is no question who the more experienced driver is. Ocon has been driving in F1 since 2016 and has a singular race win to his name from 2021 with Alpine. Last season, Ocon finished with 38 points, just three points behind his rookie teammate. Pressure will be on him to keep up with Bearman, but that may be easier said than done as the British driver gains more experience.

Oliver Bearman: Bearman is entering his sophomore season, and after finishing with 41 points and beating Ocon in his 1st year on the grid, expectations should be high. He was the 3rd highest scoring rookie, only behind Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar, and while he most likely won’t have as strong a car as either of them this year, expectations are still going to be high for him to improve.

Haas technical breakdown

At the first Bahrain preseason test, Haas managed to put up the 4th most laps, seeming fairly pleased with how their car performed. Team Principal Ayao Komatsu would comment afterwards, saying that they are currently on target with their programme going into the second test period. Esteban Ocon would also say that Haas has “learned the amount that we learned in the whole of last year.” It sounds like many on the American team are optimistic about the new car.

Haas leadership and personnel changes

Ayao Komatsu is returning for his 3rd season as Team Principal for Haas. He’s been with the team since its inception, mainly as a Trackside Engineering Director, but was promoted to his current role before the 2024 season after Guenther Steiner left the team.

2026 Haas performance expectations

Haas has been stuck in the middle of the pack since it entered F1, and expectations are not high for that changing as we head into the new regulations. In 2025, they finished 8th in the Constructors Standings, and the road will not be easy for them to improve on that spot. The best chance for them to move up the standings more than likely lies with Oliver Bearman. If the sophomore driver takes a big leap in pace in 2026, a 6th place finish could definitely be possible for them.

Key questions for Haas going into the 2026 F1 season

1. How is Oliver Bearman going to look in his 2nd season?

Despite the F1 2025 season having plenty of talented rookies, Bearman still shone bright within the pack and gave Haas fans plenty to get excited about. Bearman ended the season with more points than Ocon, and expectations should absolutely be for him to do that again. The real question is how much Bearman can improve upon his previous season and how much he can increase that gap to Ocon.

2. Is Esteban Ocon’s seat in jeopardy?

Ayao Komatsu admitted recently that he was disappointed by Ocon’s 2025 season. He took part of the blame, claiming Ocon struggled with brake issues throughout the season, but it raises the question of whether or not Ocon is on the hot seat within Haas. After failing to beat his rookie teammate last season, if Ocon fails to beat Bearman again, will Ocon be looking for a new team in 2027?

What does 2026 hold for Haas?

Haas will certainly be an interesting team to watch this season as they attempt to move up the standings within the midfield. With Aston Martin rumoured to be struggling with the new regulations, every single other midfield team will have the chance to move up. We’ll just have to see if Haas will be the team to capitalize on their struggles.