Haas reveal when 2025 challenger will take to the track for the first time

Haas’ 2025 Formula 1 challenger will hit the track for the first time when the American squad complete a filming day at Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix, on February 16.

Haas, led by Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, finished a superb seventh in the constructors’ championship last season – their best finish since 2018.

This year, it’s all change in terms of their driver line-up, with one-time race winner Esteban Ocon joining from Alpine and Ferrari junior Ollie Bearman – who drove one race for Ferrari and two for Haas last season – making his full-time racing debut.

Haas will run Ocon at Silverstone, with Bearman getting behind the wheel for their second filming day, which will follow in Bahrain two days before pre-season testing starts at the same track on February 26.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 10: Esteban Ocon of France and Haas F1 prepares to drive — Race-winner Esteban Ocon has moved from Alpine to Haas for 2025

“We’ll have Esteban driving, because in terms of driver installation, he is more challenging,” Komatsu told a select group of media including F1.com when speaking at Haas’ base in Banbury, UK.

“We just want to make sure 100% Esteban’s installation is fine. So, if we have got an issue, we have more time to react. With Ollie, we’re pretty confident. We’re pretty confident with Esteban as well, but we’re more confident with Ollie’s installation than Esteban.

“So, Esteban will run first and then Ollie in the Bahrain shakedown. That means Ollie will start pre-season testing.”

The duo have already been busy preparing for the new season, following up a run in the end of season test in Abu Dhabi with a run in old machinery at Jerez earlier this month.

Each driver did 400km of running to shake off the cobwebs and get used to working with their new team – in particular their new race engineers.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - NOVEMBER 28: Haas F1 Team Principal Ayao Komatsu walks in the Paddock during — Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu is hoping the squad can build on a promising 2024

This year, Ocon will be engineered by Laura Mueller while Bearman will have Ronan O’Hare as his engineer. Both are stepping up to their respective roles having both held the role of performance engineer last season.

Haas are aiming to build on an encouraging 2024 campaign that yielded their strongest end of the season ever, with points scored in eight of the last nine events.

“I’ve got my sights set on consistency,” said Komatsu. “We finished P7 last year. In the history of Haas, across the years I don’t think we’ve been competitive across seasons in a similar manner.

“For me, what was encouraging last year was our competitiveness increased through the season. Then we scored the most points in the last quarter of the year. Since Monza, we only missed a point in Brazil. That was encouraging.

“I’d like to continue that level of consistency, but I only expect competition to be tighter this year. Alpine, Williams, Sauber and RB – they are all going to be better as well. So, I don’t know how packed the midfield will be but I expect it to be tight.”

Komatsu confirmed that Haas will have a new monocoque for 2025, rather than carrying over the 2024-spec, to cure some “limitations” they endured last year. They will use the same front suspension but run new rear suspension and gearbox casing.

As has been the case since they debuted in the sport in 2016, they will continue their strong relationship with Ferrari, that includes them taking the Italian team’s power unit as well as some parts permitted within the regulations.