Haas tipped to reject €30m+ offer from driver in danger to secure ‘sure-fire’ F1 2025 lineup
Oliver Bearman takes to the kerb during his FP1 run for Haas at Imola
Haas are set to turn down an astronomical financial offer from Zhou Guanyu’s sponsors to sign Esteban Ocon as Oliver Bearman’s team-mate for the F1 2025 season.
That is the claim of respected F1 reporter Michael Schmidt, who believes Haas must place a “sure-fire” points-scorer like Ocon alongside Ferrari junior Bearman next year.
Haas to turn down huge Zhou Guanyu money offer?
Bearman is highly likely to graduate to a permanent F1 seat with Haas in F1 2025, having won many admirers after finishing seventh on his F1 debut for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix earlier this season while deputising for an unwell Carlos Sainz.
With Nico Hulkenberg confirmed to leave Haas for Sauber/Audi for F1 2025, and growing doubts over the future of Kevin Magnussen, Haas could field an all-new driver lineup next season.
Ocon, who announced earlier this month that he will leave Alpine at the end of F1 2024, has been heavily linked with a switch to the Ferrari customers, with former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas also regarded as a candidate for Haas.
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Appearing on Auto Motor und Sport’s Formula Schmidt show, respected reporter Schmidt has claimed that Zhou is trying to tempt Haas “with a lot of money” – believed to be as much as €35million – as he tries to rescue a place on the grid for F1 2025.
However, he believes the team are more likely to sign Ocon to act as team leader alongside rookie Bearman, with Zhou scoring just 12 points for Sauber since arriving on the grid in F1 2022.
Schmidt said: “I would say [Ocon] will be at Haas, along with Oliver Bearman.
“Zhou Guanyu has been linked with a lot of money. There is talk of €30-35m.
“But they can’t do that, because the problem with Bearman is that he’s a rookie.
“You have to add someone who is a sure-fire scorer. And it is evident at Sauber that [Zhou] is certainly not.”
At the recent Canadian Grand Prix, Zhou revealed he is targeting a return to Alpine as Ocon’s replacement for F1 2025, having emerged from the team’s junior academy.
“I think the other [Sauber] seat [alongside Hulkenberg] is still available, so we still have an option [to stay],” Zhou told reporters in Montreal.
“And of course, with Alpine I always had a very good connection in the past because that’s where really helped me to have the chance maybe before Formula 1, and then really grateful to join Sauber to have the chance.
“So now I’m open to other teams or open to discussion about my future.
“Nothing has been confirmed, but I feel like there should be a spot for me in the future on this grid, but I just don’t know where.”
Zhou also confirmed that his priority is to secure a race seat for the F1 2025 season, insisting that he is not considering a reserve role “at the moment.”
He explained: “I don’t want to be the reserve, I don’t want to take a year off.
“I don’t think at this kind of age of my career, I don’t really want to take a year off because in Formula 1, when you take a year off, it’s difficult to come back.
“Just because you’re not racing, it’s such a high level and every year, the cars are changing and you need to adapt, you need to understand something different.
“So my option is, of course, try to get a seat for next year, and reserve is definitely not an option at the moment.
“If you have to then we have to see, we have to consider, but at the moment I’m not to trying to think for that way.”
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