Ollie Bearman has admitted he is flattered by the rumours linking him to a potential move to Red Bull, but things came to a sudden halt when he was pressed about his future at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The young Brit, now in his second full Formula 1 season with Haas, stressed ahead of the race that these are merely speculations.

“It’s flattering to be mentioned in connection with a team as successful as Red Bull, even if it’s just talk,” he told GPFans at Spa.

“Right now, my main focus is on my work at Haas.” The future of this promising talent has become a hot topic in the paddock.

According to Sky Sports F1, Red Bull is closely monitoring his progress as a possible replacement for Max Verstappen.

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Links with Ferrari

Bearman’s past involvement in Ferrari’s development program makes a future with the Scuderia seem like a natural step.

When asked if he sees himself with Ferrari rather than Red Bull, he replied affirmatively.

“I hope so,” he said. “I don’t have complete control over that, but Ferrari has trusted me since my days in Formula 3 and even gave me a seat for 2024.

“They’re truly the reason I’m here today.”

Two years ago in Saudi Arabia, he filled in for Carlos Sainz, who was sidelined by appendicitis, before eventually joining Haas.

However, a straight move to the factory team in Maranello appears unlikely in the near future, given the long-term deals already in place with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

No Contract for 2027?

Despite his strong connection with Ferrari, Bearman’s long-term future remains uncertain.

He confirmed that once his current deal expires, he isn’t tied down anywhere. “At the moment, I don’t have a contract for next year, so I’m still in the dark about 2027,” he admitted.

When pressed about whether he’d truly be a “free agent” next season, he quickly clarified, “No, that’s not what I meant.” Before GPFans and other media could delve deeper into his contractual status, Haas’ PR team stepped in to put an end to the discussion about his future.

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Red Bull have been told to replace four-time world champion Max Verstappen with an F1 ‘gem’ should the Dutchman decide to leave after this season.

At the British Grand Prix last time out, Verstappen once again suffered a session-ending incident when he crashed out of the main event at Silverstone with just four laps to go.

That marked the second crash in as many race weekends where the Dutchman had simply become a passenger to his frustratingly unreliable RB22, something which doesn’t play into Red Bull’s hands considering the four-time champion is on the verge of being able to activate his early exit contract clause.

If the 28-year-old isn’t in the top two of the drivers’ standings by the summer break (two race weekends from now) then he is believed to be able to kickstart the process of an early exit from his Red Bull contract.

Verstappen currently sits P7 in the championship, making it mathematically impossible for him to make the jump up to second by the end of the month.

As a result, rumours have spread over a potential switch to McLaren that could see Oscar Piastri take his place at Red Bull, although GPFans understands McLaren, their CEO Zak Brown and Piastri are all happy with the current partnership.

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Bearman linked with Red Bull role

As the F1 rumour mill has spread this narrative, McLaren and Red Bull have rushed to dispel it, but the chance of Verstappen leaving the energy drink giants does look more likely than ever.

Pundit and former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher assessed the situation on the German Sky Sports F1 podcast ‘Backstage Boxengasse’, suggesting that if Verstappen does opt for a change, talented Haas youngster Ollie Bearman would be a strong choice.

“If it were possible to sign him, my first choice would be Oliver Bearman, if you feel you can’t rely on (Isack) Hadjar. I, for one, would say you can rely on him,” said the six-time grand prix winner.

Schumacher then turned his attention to weighing up the other stars on the grid who could be a suitable fit for Red Bull, adding: “Then there’s Carlos Sainz, who is a good driver. The only problem is that he hasn’t yet proven he can compete for the world championship – but Sainz has done a good job.”

Schumacher highlights Ferrari catch

But the brother of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher didn’t fail to notice that there would be one major issue blocking a move to Red Bull for Bearman: the fact he’s still a member of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy.

“He has great potential and a clear head, is likeable and, in my opinion, deserves a chance in a good car. The only question is why Ferrari should let him go – that’s beyond my imagination,” the German continued.

“If Hamilton were to drive for just one more year, then the question is why they would let such a gem go?”

Bearman is currently competing in his sophomore F1 championship and his second season with Haas, having impressed by consistently beating his much more experienced team-mate, Esteban Ocon.

There are rumours that multiple drivers are in the running to replace Ocon for 2027, but if Verstappen is heading out the door at Red Bull, perhaps the American squad could be looking at a move for Bearman and a completely new driver lineup next season?

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