Ollie Bearman enjoyed a strong weekend in Singapore, scoring “super important” points with his ninth place finish. The young British driver started in the top 10 after reaching Q3 on Saturday for the first time since Silverstone. His start was solid, but he got caught up with Isack Hadjar, letting Fernando Alonso slip through. That incident could have affected his race, but Bearman kept his cool.
He managed to hold off Nico Hulkenberg in the opening laps, keeping his place in the top 10. After his pit stop, he moved back up the field and delivered Haas’ first points since Zandvoort. Bearman’s pace and consistency were key to salvaging a strong finish on a circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult.
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Handling the first stint
Bearman admitted the first stint was challenging. He struggled with car balance, making it harder to attack or defend. “After Lap 1, a bit of an incident, dropped down to P10. Then I was under a lot of threat from Nico behind who was very fast,” he said. Despite the early difficulties, he stayed focused and managed the pace carefully.
The team worked on improvements during the second stint. With Alonso losing time in the pits, Bearman had the chance to push for P8. Although he couldn’t make the pass stick, he still scored valuable points. The weekend showed his ability to manage challenges and deliver results under pressure.
Importance of the Midfield Battles
Bearman called the points “super important” in the tight midfield fight. Haas sits nine points behind Sauber in the battle for eighth place, which carries extra prize money. Every point matters in this part of the championship.
The driver noted that Aston Martin had more pace at Singapore, as Alonso eventually pulled a 10-second gap. Even so, Bearman executed a solid weekend, helping Haas to maintain a competitive position. These points could prove crucial as the season progresses and the midfield battle intensifies.
Ocon faces a tough weekend
In contrast, Esteban Ocon had a frustrating race, finishing a lap down in 18th. His qualifying session was affected by a seatbelt issue, leaving him in a low grid position. Singapore’s tight track made overtaking extremely hard, which compounded his challenges.
Ocon also had a tricky race strategy. His long first stint meant he missed the undercut opportunity, while Carlos Sainz used fresher tyres to move into the top 10. Ocon gained some positions early but struggled once trapped behind other cars with limited DRS. His comments reflect disappointment: “There will be a week to reflect on exactly what happened throughout the weekend. It was a big missed opportunity.”
