F1 team announce official driver REPLACEMENT

The Formula 1 grid will have a different face for lights out at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, with one team swapping out one of their drivers.

As F1 waved goodbye to Europe after the final race on the continent this season, the consequences of the chaotic scenes in Monza are lingering for one team in particular.

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Haas driver Kevin Magnussen was found to be at fault for causing a collision at the Italian GP, being handed a penalty that came with two penalty points on his Super Licence.

Those two additional points took the Danish driver's tally to 12 within a 12-month timeframe, automatically landing him a one race ban.

Magnussen will therefore be sidelined for Baku, meaning that Haas have had to turn elsewhere to find another driver to line up alongside Nico Hulkenberg.

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Haas announce F1 driver replacement

The team have now officially confirmed that Oliver Bearman, who is joining the team next season, will deputise for the suspended Magnussen.

Bearman has already driven on the F1 grid this season, stepping in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari when the Spaniard was forced to miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix through injury.

"It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep-time," Bearman said after the news broke.

"But I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience."

“I’m excited that Ollie will be driving the VF-24 alongside Nico in Baku," team principal Ayao Komatsu added.

"He’s already shown great promise in his FP1 outings and post-season test, and he performed very well when he drove for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, picking up points in the process.

"This is another excellent opportunity for both Ollie and the team to work together, this time throughout an entire race weekend, and he couldn’t ask for better team-mate than Nico to provide him with a reference."

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