Photo: Race Pictures

Bearman sets out 2026 ambitions following Haas VF-26 launch

14:10, 19 Jan

byTobia Elia

Oliver Bearman offered his first impressions after the launch of Haas’s VF-26 ahead of the 2026 season.

“(2025) was a year where I certainly learned a lot, not only about myself as a person, or as an athlete, but also about Formula 1”

- Oliver Bearman

The British driver is set to begin his second full Formula 1 season, coming off a 2025 campaign that featured a few mistakes in the opening half of the year but strong progress in the final third, allowing him to finish the season ahead of his team-mate.

Among his standout performances was an impressive weekend in Mexico, where Bearman spent much of the race fighting in podium contention before ultimately bringing home valuable points for Haas.

“(2025) was a year where I certainly learned a lot, not only about myself as a person, or as an athlete, but also about Formula 1,” he acknowledged.

“I've really increased my knowledge base infinitely, because I've been put in experiences that you just can't learn prior to experiencing them. I've definitely improved a lot in all of those areas and I'm really happy with how the season went, particularly the second-half.

Photo: Race Pictures

“I really upped my game, I felt like in the second half of the season, I started to put down some really some results that I was really happy with, and that was critical for me. I'm excited to continue that this year.”

Speaking about his feelings ahead of the season, and fully aware of the technical overhaul now in place, the Brit added: “I feel these changes are the biggest in the history of Formula 1, so with that is a huge deal of excitement for me. I'm heading into a regulation change for the first time in my life, really.

“Last year was a big step for me, but I think even from the beginning, we knew that if we put the car in the right window, we were still going to be able to fight for points, and we had an idea of the competitiveness of the car.

He finally concluded: “That lack of knowledge heading into 2026 is good and bad, as on one side I feel like we can really have an impact straight away, but also it's horrible not knowing. I would like to skip forward six months to see where we are, but I'm going to be giving it everything to make sure that where we are is as high up as possible.”

Haas stick with white, red and black as Toyota partnership stands out

Haas have retained their now-familiar white, red and black livery for 2026, a colour scheme that has become a defining feature of the team in recent years.

A particularly eye-catching detail is the GR branding on the engine cover, further highlighting the increasingly close technical relationship between Haas and Toyota.

View the complete image gallery to take a closer look at the VF-26 from every angle.

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