FIA Slams Brutal Penalty on F1 Star After Shocking Crash le… Read More
The FIA has issued a severe penalty to young British driver Ollie Bearman following a crash at the end of the final practice session (FP3) ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The incident occurred after a red flag was waved due to Gabriel Bortoleto’s crash in his Sauber, which brought the session to a temporary halt. As Bearman made his way back to the pits, he lost control of his Haas car and crashed into the pit lane barriers, causing significant damage to the front wing.
The crash happened after Bearman, instead of returning cautiously to the pits as required under red flag conditions, approached Turn 15 and accelerated aggressively to race pace. He entered the pit entry road at a dangerously high speed of 260kph, which ultimately led to him sliding and crashing into the barriers. The stewards found this to be a serious violation of the rules, particularly Article 37.6(a) of the Formula One Sporting Regulations and Article 2.5.4.1(b) of Appendix H of the International Sporting Code. These regulations clearly state that all drivers must reduce speed and return to the pits slowly and safely when a red flag is displayed.
The FIA emphasized that Bearman’s pace during the red flag was even faster than his previous lap under normal conditions, which demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety procedures in place. As a result, the 19-year-old was handed a 10-place grid penalty for the race and received four penalty points on his super licence. This brings his total tally of penalty points to eight — just four short of the 12-point threshold that could result in a one-race ban.
Bearman explained to the stewards that he misjudged the braking situation, citing that his brakes were not sufficiently warmed up due to the slower pace earlier in the lap. However, the FIA did not accept this explanation as a valid excuse, stating that his choice to accelerate despite the red flag and the resulting crash could not be overlooked. They determined that the situation warranted a strict penalty according to the official guidelines.
This decision places Bearman in a difficult position heading into the British Grand Prix, where he was expected to deliver a strong performance in front of his home crowd. He is now set to start much further back on the grid, significantly reducing his chances of a competitive race.
Bearman’s penalty comes shortly after another young driver, Kimi Antonelli, was also handed a grid drop. Antonelli received a three-place penalty for a separate incident during the Austrian Grand Prix, where he collided with Max Verstappen.
The FIA’s swift and decisive action against Bearman highlights their ongoing commitment to enforcing safety regulations strictly, especially during red flag conditions where drivers are expected to exercise the highest level of caution.
