Bearman: Haas Canada Upgrades a 'Double-Edged Sword'

Ollie Bearman has revealed that Haas's major upgrade package for the Canadian Grand Prix has produced a double-edged result. While the new parts offer greater performance potential, the rookie says the VF-26 has become "really challenging" to drive, leaving the team stuck "chasing our tail" through much of the Montreal weekend.

Why it matters:

Haas introduced its updated sidepods and floor hoping to cure the car's instability and unlock more downforce, but neither driver made it out of Q1 in convincing fashion. For Bearman, this is more than a simple setup headache; a car that only reveals its vices when pushed to the limit makes it harder to gather the data needed to progress, especially during a rookie campaign.

The details:

• Haas brought a new floor and sidepod package to Canada aimed at stabilizing underfloor airflow and increasing downforce.
• After scrapping his sprint race grid slot to make setup changes from pit lane, Bearman finally felt comfortable pushing in qualifying—only to discover new problems.
• He reported severe front-locking under braking, an issue rivals likely found during Friday practice while Haas was too far outside the operating window to push hard.
• Montreal's punishing bumps and curbs have exposed the car's narrow setup range. Bearman explained that stiffening the suspension improves corner entries but makes the ride brutal over bumps, while a softer setup ruins drivability.
• Teammate Esteban Ocon suffered a similar fate, dropping out in Q1 just behind Bearman in 17th.

What's next:

The team faces intense pressure to decode the new package quickly. There is genuine pace in the upgrades, but as Bearman noted, Haas is currently "balancing that knife edge" between ultimate lap time and a driveable race car. Finding that balance will be critical if they want to salvage results from a weekend that started with high hopes.