Komatsu Calls Bearman Salary Claims 'Nonsense'

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has hit back hard at reports claiming that contract extension talks with Oliver Bearman are being held up by the British driver's demands for a £5 million annual salary. Komatsu's response was far from measured. He dismissed the story as nonsense, making clear that Haas does not recognise the account being circulated.

The reports framed the figure as the main obstacle to a new deal, suggesting that the sticking point was money rather than anything else. That version of events is exactly what Komatsu rejected. A salary claim of that size would be eye-catching in any paddock, and it is easy to see why it spread quickly, but it also raises an obvious question: where did the number come from, and has either side confirmed it? Based on the reporting available, no official figure has been put on the table publicly.

For Bearman, the stakes are considerable. A British driver with a clear pathway to a seat on the grid is always a valuable asset in the eyes of the team and the wider market, and an extension would give Haas stability in a driver line-up that matters for both performance and sponsorship. Any breakdown in talks, real or imagined, tends to attract speculation about where he might end up next, which is why a story like this gains traction even before anything has been formally agreed.

Komatsu's blunt rebuttal suggests Haas wants to shut down that speculation before it hardens into fact. Until there is an announcement from the team or from Bearman's camp, the £5 million figure should be treated as an unconfirmed claim, not a settled sticking point. Fans and rival teams will be watching closely for any update on the deal, and the next statement from either side is likely to clarify whether the talks are as stuck as the reports suggest.