Thomas Bearman is set to continue his steady rise through the junior single-seater ranks after securing a seat with Van Amersfoort Racing for the 2026 season.
The younger brother of Haas Formula 1 driver Oliver Bearman joined the Dutch outfit ahead of his involvement in this year’s Italian Formula 4 Championship.
The 16-year-old made the move after parting ways with Hitech TGR, where he competed in British F4 and claimed a podium finish during his sole full campaign with the team in 2025.
Van Amersfoort Racing, in its welcome statement for the young driver, highlighted that he would participate in three race series – the Formula Winter Series, Italian Formula 4 Championship and E4 Championship – as he continues his development through the upcoming season.
In its statement announcing the signing of the young driver, the Dutch team wrote:
“Van Amersfoort Racing is pleased to welcome Thomas Bearman to the team for the 2026 season. The British driver will compete with VAR in the Formula Winter Series, Italian Formula 4 Championship and E4 Championship during the 2026 season.”
“For 2026, Thomas will take the next step together with Van Amersfoort Racing across three championships. The focus will be on continuing his development through close work with the engineers and team, while building towards the next stages of his racing career.”
While the younger Bearman continues his foray into single-seater racing, his senior brother recently took part in the car launch of the Haas F1 team. The 20-year-old, alongside team-mate Esteban Ocon, unveiled the VF-26 challenger ahead of the upcoming F1 campaign.
Bearman gives first impression of Haas car
Earlier, Bearman opted to temper expectations after the Haas F1 team unveiled its 2026 machinery. The British driver was quick to point to the sweeping regulation changes, among other factors, behind his assessment of his outlook for the new campaign.
Bearman, however, stressed that if the Haas team gets its regulations right, he expects to record some exciting results throughout the season.
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