Bearman expresses happiness, slight jealousy over Hadjar's Red Bull promotion

Haas F1 driver Oliver Bearman has warmly congratulated fellow young driver Isack Hadjar on his promotion to Red Bull Racing for 2026, framing it as a significant milestone for their generation of talent. The 20-year-old British driver, however, cheekily admitted to feeling a pang of jealousy, while maintaining confidence that his own opportunity to compete at the front of the grid is on the horizon.

Why it matters:

The promotion of drivers like Hadjar and the anticipated arrival of Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes signal a generational shift within Formula 1's top teams. For drivers like Bearman, who are on the cusp of breaking through, these moves validate their peer group's talent while also intensifying the personal race to secure a coveted seat with a championship-contending outfit.

The details:

• Bearman described Hadjar's move to partner Max Verstappen as "fantastic" and evidence that "our generation is conquering the top teams."
• He explicitly linked Hadjar's achievement to Kimi Antonelli's expected move to Mercedes, highlighting a broader trend of youth infiltration at the front of the grid.
• The Haas driver's candid admission of jealousy underscores the competitive drive and ambition shared by these rising stars, all vying for limited top seats.
• Bearman concluded with a forward-looking statement of self-assurance: "my time will come too."

What's next:

Bearman's focus will now shift to continuing to impress at Haas, where strong performances are his best currency for a future move up the grid. With the 2026 regulatory reset approaching, more driver market shuffles are expected, creating potential opportunities for the next wave of talent, including Bearman, to stake their claim.