It was at this track two years ago in which the now 20-year-old had made a massive impression on his current employers, driving for them during the first practice session.
Thereafter, he ascended to a full-time seat in the sport and has now recorded his greatest grand prix finish to-date.
Oliver Bearman has had a typical rookie season, in many ways. Crashes, errors, and not too far away from an actual race ban, the driver from Essex had been unable to match his sparkling speed with a sparkling result. But Mexico City changed that.
Although he had finished sixth at the Dutch Grand Prix, that was more of a legacy of circumstance than what the past weekend was. Because in the Mexican capital, the rookie was nothing other than sublime.
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Placing his Haas car in the top ten in qualifying, he converted a P9 starting place into P6 by the end of the first lap.
Thereafter, Bearman would not be passed, and even overtook George Russell and Max Verstappen in a chaotic few seconds while the latter diced with Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver would later be penalised and that would be another place gained for the Haas driver.
After each driver made their first pit stop, Bearman was third. And although his two-stop strategy was overcome by Verstappen’s one-stop, it still required a monumental effort to keep what was fourth place come the chequered flag.
Ollie Bearman SENDS a lunge on Max Verstappen… and gets through! 😮💨
The Haas driver is currently P4 on the road 👀#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/MbX4ABNQpm
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 26, 2025
With George Russell reeling him in, but unable to make a pass, followed by Oscar Piastri, the 20-year-old was immense throughout the 71-lap-long struggle.
Speaking to formula1.com post-race, Bearman said: “It was crazy. I’m so happy to take so many good points for the team, and we did a really fantastic job strategically, getting the car in the right window. It felt great underneath me, so a perfect job.
“It’s a feel-good moment. Also, to go side-by-side with Max [Verstappen] is a very cool feeling. He’s someone I have basically grown up watching in Formula 1, so it’s awesome and I’m really proud of the job we today.”
The result matched his team’s best-ever result also. In their near-decade long history, only Romain Grosjean has finished as high as that in Haas colours, which was accomplished at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix. But it carries yet more consequence, as their heavy-scoring in the Mexican capital launches them up to eighth in the constructors’ championship, two points ahead of Sauber.
