Haas is not ready to confirm its Formula One drivers for 2027. Team principal Ayao Komatsu said the immediate priority is to help Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon get more from the current car.
The team has gone six rounds without scoring and both cars retired from the Dutch Grand Prix. Those results have made performance work more urgent than an early contract announcement.
Komatsu wants more results from Bearman and Ocon
Bearman and Ocon have shown useful speed at different points of the season. Haas now needs to understand why that speed has not produced a steady run of points. Bearman has scored 18 points, while Ocon has three. Komatsu does not treat that gap as the only measure of their work because car balance, reliability and race circumstances have affected both drivers.
Waiting gives the team more races to compare feedback, qualifying pace and decision-making. It also avoids creating an artificial deadline before Haas understands its own technical position.
Good early results did not continue through the middle of the season
Bearman’s fifth place in China showed what Haas could achieve when the car worked in the right conditions. Rival teams then developed more quickly and moved ahead in the midfield. The recent scoreless run has placed greater pressure on setup work. A small loss in qualifying can put a car behind several close rivals and make points much harder to reach.
The double retirement at Zandvoort added another problem. Haas must first identify the causes and give both drivers enough reliable running to judge their performance fairly.
Other candidates remain possible, but Haas has confirmed none
Rafael Camara and Yuki Tsunoda have been mentioned as possible candidates. Neither driver has been announced, and Komatsu did not present a final shortlist. Bearman is widely expected to have a stronger chance of staying, but Haas has not confirmed either seat. Ocon therefore still has time to improve his position through results and technical work.
Haas has not named another candidate or announced its 2027 drivers. Interest, availability and a signed contract remain different stages of a decision.
Differences between the two cars affect the comparison
Bearman has said that differences between parts can make the two Haas cars feel less consistent. If the cars respond differently, a direct comparison between lap times becomes less reliable. Engineers can compare data from the same corners and separate a driving choice from a mechanical difference. The process also helps the team decide which setup changes should be carried to the next race.
Better consistency would support both the development programme and the contract decision. Haas would then be judging the drivers with clearer evidence.
The next races will influence both results and contracts
Every remaining weekend gives Haas another chance to end its point drought. It also provides information about how Bearman and Ocon react when the car is difficult. Komatsu’s position does not mean the decision has no deadline. It means the team has chosen not to set one publicly while more useful evidence can still be collected.
For now, both seats remain unconfirmed. Haas will continue to work with its current drivers before deciding whether continuity or a change gives the team the best 2027 line-up.
Recent race results give Haas better evidence
Waiting allows Haas to judge Bearman and Ocon across different circuits instead of reacting to one strong or weak weekend. Qualifying pace matters, but the team also needs evidence from tyre management, starts, defensive driving and technical feedback. Those areas show how much value a driver brings during a complete season. The decision also affects the engineers. Stable driver feedback helps the factory separate a setup problem from a design weakness. When both sides of the garage report the same limitation, the team has a stronger reason to change the car. Different reports may point to driving style or preparation.
Komatsu can therefore keep the public discussion quiet while the data grows. Haas has not announced a deadline, and neither current driver needs to treat every session as a final test. That should support cleaner work and give the team a better basis for its eventual choice.
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