‘Absolute nonsense’ – Ayao Komatsu Denies Ollie Bearman Salary Demands Delayed Haas Contract

Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu has emphatically pushed back against circulating rumors regarding contract negotiations with British driver Ollie Bearman, dismissing claims of excessive wage demands as fabricated fiction. Speculation has emerged in the paddock ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix questioning why an official contract extension between Bearman and Haas has not yet been finalized. On Thursday, Bearman acknowledged that there’s a few things in the background that we’re working on, which fueled online claims that wage disputes were holding up the deal.

Komatsu Shuts Down €6 Million Salary Speculation

Addressing the media during Friday’s official FIA teams’ press conference in Mexico City, Komatsu addressed the situation directly. While he declined to discuss sensitive private terms, he made the mutual intent of both parties completely transparent, confirming that it’s very clear from both parties, from Ollie’s side, we want to continue working together.

When asked directly whether Bearman’s camp had requested an inflated salary figure—specifically addressing rumors quoting an asking price of 6 million euros—Komatsu was scathing in his rebuttal of online gossip culture and social media misinformation.

I have no idea where that came from. Honestly, I’ve experienced it sometimes this season as well. People say there is no smoke without fire, but some people really invent a story, Komatsu explained. What happened in Miami about apparently I had an argument with Esteban [Ocon], there’s just absolutely zero truth in it and even those people claiming that they have some insider information etc, absolute total nonsense. This one, again I don’t know who smoked up this 6 million euro number, that’s the first time I saw it on Instagram.

Komatsu continued to criticize the proliferation of unsubstantiated paddock reporting: Someone came up, this is a good thing to stir whatever up. I have no comments to make because it’s just not even close to the truth. Why do we engage in such absolute nonsense, what’s the point of it?

Those people creating are not trying to help anything. It’s amazing these days that people don’t check the source. I want to get more clicks, get more likes, so they cut and paste those stories and keep running with it, and before you know it, there are 20 people running the story and they think it’s the truth. It’s absolute nonsense.

Driver Lineup Dynamics and Independence from Ferrari

Should Bearman’s deal proceed as expected, Haas will feature a cockpit presence heavily shaped by the Scuderia’s talent pipeline. Current Formula 2 championship front-runner Rafael Camara has already been confirmed as the replacement for Esteban Ocon in 2027, raising the prospect of two Ferrari junior drivers steering Haas machinery in future seasons.

Because Haas sources power units and selected non-listed car components from Ferrari, the impending prospect of fielding multiple Scuderia proteges has prompted paddock suggestions that Haas functions as a junior team along the lines of the Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls ownership structure. Komatsu flatly rejected that comparison, emphasizing that Haas maintains strict sporting and corporate autonomy.

I think the way Red Bull and Racing Bulls are set up is very different to how we collaborate with Ferrari. We don’t have the same owner, Komatsu stated. We are two completely independent teams and then we don’t have a global programme in terms of how we bring the driver together, whereas Racing Bulls and Red Bull clearly work together, right? So that is a very different dynamic.

The Haas boss elaborated on how the technical alliance operates in practice regarding driver recruitment: Our collaboration with Ferrari, what it gives us, is access and opportunities. With Ollie for the first time here in FP1. That opportunity was available via our collaboration with Ferrari.

But at no point did Ferrari say, ‘Oh, can you take Ollie as your race driver?’ Same as Rafael Camara, Komatsu continued. Of course, looking at the junior series, he’s shown incredible speed and exciting talent. And then, because of our collaboration, we had access.

We developed talks and we said, ‘Okay, can we test Rafa in a TPC?’ We all agreed, we tested, and he was very, very fast. So, we chose him. Again, I have no concern. It’s just a benefit of our collaboration with Ferrari that we have access to those youngsters.

Why This Matters

The management of driver market narratives is crucial for customer teams such as Haas, which must balance close technical alliances against their status as independent constructors. While Haas utilizes Ferrari components and provides track outings to members of the Ferrari Driver Academy, establishing clear distance from a subsidiary-style model protects Haas’s autonomous decision-making power. Solidifying Bearman alongside future signings like Rafael Camara reinforces Haas’s strategy of capitalizing on access to elite young talent without taking direct operational orders from Maranello.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Ollie Bearman demand a €6 million salary from Haas?
No. Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu strongly denied the reports, stating the €6 million figure originated on social media without factual backing and that the rumor is completely untrue.

Is Ollie Bearman expected to stay with Haas?
Yes. While minor details are still being resolved in the background, both Ayao Komatsu and Ollie Bearman have publicly confirmed that both sides intend to continue racing together.

Is Haas becoming a Ferrari B-team like Red Bull and Racing Bulls?
No. Komatsu clarified that Haas and Ferrari do not share an owner and do not operate a joint driver development structure. While Haas leverages its technical partnership to gain access and testing opportunities with Ferrari junior drivers like Ollie Bearman and Rafael Camara, all driver signings remain independent Haas decisions.