Haas’ Oliver Bearman admitted the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying proved a stumbling block, as the American team slipped to the back of Q2 and missed a point‑cutting chance.
Qualifying loss at the Hungaroring
Bearman was outpaced by teammates Esteban Ocon by 0.223 s at the Hungaroring and edged out of Q2 by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who was 0.107 s quicker. The session marked Aston Martin’s first Q2 appearance in a full‑season format since the sprint circuit was removed in 2026, after a comprehensive upgrade to the AMR26 yielded a 1.5‑second gain.
Tyre constraints and practice woes
Haas had only three sets of tyres, while Aston used three different compounds, giving the Mazda‑powered team a clear advantage. Reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa glided the car in FP1 to meet rookie‑rule requirements, forcing Bearman to miss a full practice run and leaving the driver unsettled by the car’s altered corner balance.
Bearman’s roadmap for recovery
“We should not be fighting with Aston,” Bearman said after the session, citing limited data and a car still shunting right at the Hungarian straights. He noted that a more reliable Honda power unit might arrive post‑Zandvoort update and that the track’s short, twisty nature is not ideal for the current setup.
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