‘Inconsistent’ remains the defining assessment of Haas’ 2026 Formula 1 campaign so far, a description openly accepted by drivers Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon as the team reflects on the first half of the season.

Following a solid 79-point haul in 2025, the American outfit opened the new regulation era in 2026 on strong footing. Bearman began the season by taking seventh place in the Australian Grand Prix before delivering a standout weekend in China. The 21-year-old scored points in the Sprint, made Q3, and drove an eye-catching race from 10th on the grid to finish fifth.

However, that early momentum has since evaporated. Haas have suffered a sharp downturn in form and have not scored a single championship point across the last five rounds, falling into a midfield slump.

Bearman Dominates Head-to-Head Battles

Bearman has maintained a clear upper hand over his experienced French team-mate across the opening phase of the season:

• Qualifying: Bearman 8–3 Ocon
• Races: Bearman 7–4 Ocon
• Points: Bearman 18–3 Ocon

Despite the statistical disparity, Bearman defended Ocon ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, explaining that equipment parity has not always been equal: “There has been inconsistency between our parts [at times] and it’s not always a fair fight.”

Highs, Lows, and Technical Struggles

While Bearman's fifth-place finish in Shanghai marked the obvious high point, the team's list of lows has grown substantially. Bearman survived a 50G crash during the Japanese Grand Prix that caused extensive damage to the VF-26, while on-track tensions surfaced when the team-mates collided on the opening laps in both Monaco and Spa.

Haas currently occupy seventh place in the Constructors' Championship, but sit 40 points behind sixth-placed Alpine while feeling mounting pressure from behind by Audi and Williams. Deployment issues, erratic upgrade performance, and an acute lack of rear downforce have hampered development under Team Principal Ayao Komatsu.

The summer break provides a crucial window for the squad to reset and establish a definitive aerodynamic direction ahead of the remaining rounds of the 2026 season.