Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman will take part in next week’s Super Formula test at Suzuka to help learn the track.
With next year’s Japanese Grand Prix being the third race of the season, following Australia and China, any knowledge they can get of the venue will be a big advantage for their rookie seasons.
And while one route to get some experience would be to test a previous F1 car, the logistical complications and expense of that does not make much sense.
Instead, both drivers have been confirmed for next week’s official Super Formula test, which runs at Suzuka from 11-13 December.
Bearman will be available from the off because, having taken part in three grands prix this year, he is no longer eligible to be a rookie driver for the Abu Dhabi F1 test that takes place next Tuesday.
Instead, Haas will be running with 2025 driver Esteban Ocon and Toyota development driver Ryo Hirakawa.
Antonelli, however, will not be running in Suzuka until Friday because he is driving in the Abu Dhabi tyre test on Tuesday.
He will drive alongside George Russell for the Tuesday run, with his team-mate being the designated tyre tester. He will then fly to Japan to run on the final day of action.
Super Formula has yet to announce the teams with which Antonelli and Bearman will be taking part in the Suzuka test.
Bearman FP1 plan
Bearman had originally been set to run in FP1 for Haas in Abu Dhabi, to further boost his experience ahead of his full-time graduation next year.
However, team boss Ayao Komatsu said the squad changed its plan on this front because of the ultra-close battle it is in with Alpine for sixth place in the constructors’ championship. The two teams are separated by just five points heading into the final round.
Speaking about the decision, Komatsu said: “Oliver was scheduled to drive FP1 here but then obviously he had had two races with us – in Baku and then Interlagos.
“Then this weekend we just knew it [the constructors’ championship fight] was going to go all the way down to the wire. So for me, it didn't make sense to have someone only in for FP1 – even somebody who was good and our future.
“We just wanted to keep this weekend as consistent as possible, so whoever was starting FP1 should be racing.”
The news of Bearman joining the Suzuka test follows Haas signing a technical partnership with Toyota in October. The Japanese manufacturer is one of the two engine suppliers in Super Formula and fields a number of factory drivers in the series through its affiliated teams.
