Oliver Bearman has voiced his frustration with the FIA stewards following a 10-second penalty for his collision with Pierre Gasly during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. The British driver, who was “pretty shocked” by the severity of the sanction, argued that the incident was a legitimate racing move rather than an avoidable error. Bearman explained that he felt he had earned sufficient space to attempt the overtake, noting, “I felt like I had enough of my car alongside to justify… I didn’t really get that space.”
Haas rookie slams FIA over “excessive” 10-second sanction for Austin contact
The controversy centers on Lap 2 at the Circuit of the Americas, where Bearman, having gained two positions on the opening lap, dived down the inside of the 10th-placed Alpine in Turn 13. As the gap closed, Bearman placed two wheels on the yellow inside kerb, but his front-left tire still made tenuous contact with Gasly’s sidepod. The minor touch resulted in significant damage to both cars, prompting the stewards to impose the 10-second time penalty, which effectively nullified Bearman’s early track position gains.
Bearman believes the punishment is disproportionate compared to other incidents this season, stating, “Ten seconds for that type of incident seems very excessive in my opinion.” He emphasized that he was actively trying to avoid contact by climbing onto the kerb, asserting, “I couldn’t disappear.” The ruling highlights the ongoing debate regarding the threshold for penalties in close-quarters racing, with Bearman feeling “hard done by” given that similar contacts have often resulted in lighter sanctions or no penalty at all.
Source: Yahoo Sports
