Haas confirm Kevin Magnussen absence as Oliver Bearman handed Brazilian GP chance
Kevin Magnussen has been taken ill and Haas have announced that teenager Oliver Bearman will deputise for him during Friday's race session at the Brazilian Grand Prix
by Matthew Cooper · The MirrorOliver Bearman will compete for Haas in the sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix after Kevin Magnussen was sidelined through illness.
Bearman is currently Haas' reserve driver, but the 19-year is set to replace Magnussen full-time for the 2025 season. And the Brit, who has previously stood in for Magnussen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, will get another opportunity to impress in Sao Paulo.
Bearman will deputise for Magnussen during Friday's race session, with Haas set to make a decision on his involvement in the entire race weekend in "due course". The news was confirmed in a statement which read: "MoneyGram Haas F1 Team driver Kevin Magnussen will not participate in Friday’s track running at the São Paulo Grand Prix after suffering with sickness.
"Official reserve driver Oliver Bearman will take over driving duties. The team wishes Kevin a quick recovery and will provide a further update in due course."
And Haas are confident Bearman has a huge future in the sport, with team principal Ayao Komatsu stating earlier this year: "It’s an exciting thing to be able to give a young driver as talented as Oliver Bearman his first full-time seat in Formula 1.
"He’s developed into an incredibly mature driver under the guidance of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy and the world saw that for themselves when he was called in at the last minute to compete at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
"Oliver proved he was more than ready for the task, and we’ve seen that for ourselves running him in the Haas cars in our FP1 sessions over the past two seasons. We’re looking forward to further developing him as a driver and reaping the benefits of his talent – both inside and outside of the car.
"Oliver’s a great guy and a very welcome addition to the team when he joins us for the FP1 weekends. Now we know that relationship is going to be longer-term, it’s a positive thing for all concerned."
Team owner Gene Haas added: "I’m pleased we’ve been able to give Oliver Bearman this opportunity to drive full-time in Formula 1 – he’s undoubtedly an exciting rookie prospect, not just based on what he showed in Saudi Arabia but also through his time developing his relationship with our team.
"I’m personally excited to see how he grows as a driver, and we look forward to seeing him deliver for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team next season and beyond. This is an exciting time for the team. Oliver’s signing shows we continue to invest in talent – both on and off-track – as we continue to compete at the highest level."
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