The Monaco GP next weekend presents a rare opportunity for Formula 1 drivers to set aside some of the restrictions imposed by the 2026 rules. Oliver Bearman believes that the characteristics of the traditional street circuit will allow for a more aggressive and closer driving style than what competitors were used to in previous seasons.
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The Haas driver’s expectation is linked to Monte Carlo’s unique profile. With few long straights and several heavy braking zones, energy management should have less impact compared to other calendar stages, reducing the need for strategies focused on electric charge recovery.
Speaking about the challenge on the streets of the Principality, Bearman said he is eager to experience this difference in practice: “Maybe the cars will be a bit more fun to drive, that would be cool. I don’t think there is much opportunity to innovate in terms of energy in Monaco, because speed limits and reductions happen very early for obvious safety reasons,” he said.
The Brit believes the car behavior will be closer to what was seen last year: “I think it will be a bit more like last year, when we could drive the way we wanted, use the gears we wanted, and didn’t have to do those silly things like lifting off the throttle early. I’m really looking forward to that, it should be very good,” he said.
For the Monte Carlo stage, there will also be no sections where drivers can use the so-called straight-line mode. Additionally, the reduction of electric assistance will occur earlier, starting around 200 km/h, instead of approximately 290 km/h recorded in other races of the season.
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Bearman also highlighted the importance of the qualifying session in the Principality, traditionally decisive for the final result. In a relaxed tone, he commented: “I hope to get a good lap on Saturday. This is Monaco. Otherwise, we can park the car and watch the race from the balcony,” he added laughing.
Despite the tenth place achieved at the Canadian GP, the driver believes Haas still needs to solve important problems. According to him, the result was favored by race circumstances and did not fully reflect the car’s real performance.
“The car is very difficult to drive. The performance is there, I can feel it, but we need to calm down the car’s characteristics a bit. That is the goal, especially before Monaco, because you need to have confidence near the walls,” he concluded.
Bearman also reported difficulties in finding confidence in corner entries and admitted that, at several moments, he feels he is close to making a mistake and hitting the barriers.
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