Oliver Bearman admitted he didn’t expect to make it past the first qualifying session for the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, but ended up securing 10th place on the grid in his Haas car.
After benefiting from three disqualifications to finish eighth in China, Bearman continued to impress by making it to Q3 at Suzuka. His teammate Esteban Ocon, on the other hand, was eliminated in Q1 and will start from 18th position. Bearman’s strong performance was especially notable given the increasing support for the team after its technical partnership with Toyota last year.
Despite disruptions during practice and qualifying, including several red flags caused by grass fires along the track, Bearman managed to stay competitive and positioned himself among the front runners.
“I didn’t expect to make it to Q2, so to end up in Q3 was a nice surprise,” Bearman said. “None of us expected this after the interruptions we had over the weekend.”
He noted how challenging the sessions had been, with many disruptions in both practice and qualifying. “I hadn’t actually set a time on softs since FP1, so to go out, build up my pace, and deliver a strong qualifying performance was great. I’m really proud of both the team and myself.”
Bearman also expressed confidence in his performance, feeling in sync with the car. “I’ve had a good rhythm all weekend and felt confident with the car, though I didn’t have data to back it up until now. After Q1 and Q2, I started really pushing the car and giving it my all.”
With a starting position inside the points, Bearman aims to fight for positions ahead of him. “It’s good to be starting from within the points. We seem to have better race pace compared to our qualifying pace.”
Qualifying in Q3 for the first time in his F1 career, especially at a challenging circuit like Suzuka, was a memorable moment for Bearman.
“It’s amazing – probably the most fun I’ve had in my life,” he added. “Qualifying on low fuel here at Suzuka is incredible. The grip, especially through the new sector one, is so high. My neck doesn’t like it, but the rest of my body does. It’s been such a great experience.”
Bearman also acknowledged the support from Japanese fans, noting their creativity and enthusiasm. “The fans have been amazing, especially in Japan. It makes it such a pleasure to be here.”
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu shared Bearman’s excitement, praising the team’s hard work both at the track and back at the factory.
“We didn’t expect to make it into Q3 this morning,” Komatsu said. “Ollie did a fantastic job, and the team worked really well to extract performance from the car. We’re the smallest team on the grid, so to get this result is huge for us.”
Komatsu also highlighted the improvements made following a tough season opener in Australia. “The new floor was a risk, but after FP2, the data showed it was working, which was really satisfying. We made further adjustments for qualifying, and everything clicked. Each time we send the car out, we’re learning and improving.”