Haas confirms Oliver Bearman as Magnussen's replacement for Sao Paulo weekend

SAO PAULO — Britain's Oliver Bearman will replace Kevin Magnussen for the entire Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend, as the Danish driver has been sidelined by sickness, the Haas Formula 1 team confirmed on Friday.

Bearman showcased impressive form during Friday practice, clocking the third fastest lap. He will start Saturday’s sprint qualifying at Interlagos from 10th position. Having already stood in for both Ferrari and Haas this year, Bearman was initially brought in on Friday for the practice session and the sprint race.

"Kevin Magnussen will not compete in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and Oliver Bearman will race for the team for the remainder of the weekend," Haas announced in a statement.

The weekend schedule includes the sprint on Saturday, followed by the main grand prix qualifying session for Sunday’s race.

Magnussen previously secured the only pole position of his career at Interlagos in 2022, following an incident involving George Russell and deteriorating weather conditions.

Bearman has proven his mettle as a reliable stand-in driver. He replaced Magnussen in Azerbaijan last month following the Dane’s race ban and substituted for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia after the Spaniard's appendicitis diagnosis, finishing seventh and 10th respectively in those races.

"Ollie is impressive, considering he's had minimal preparation, and it was a last-minute call-up," said Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu. "His first timed lap in FP1 [practice] was already impressive and then he built from there. His driving in SQ1 [the first sprint qualifying phase] and SQ2 was amazing. In SQ3, we had an issue on our side relating to the tyre temperature control box, so the tyres weren't up to temperature. The fact he went off in turn two was not his fault."

Bearman’s strong performance and adaptability continue to make him a valuable asset in the Formula 1 paddock, and his presence this weekend offers a promising substitute for Haas at the Brazil GP.

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