Oliver Bearman Faces Race Ban Fear After Sprint Penalty

AUSTIN, Texas — Oliver Bearman, a 20-year-old driver for Haas F1 Team, expressed concern about a potential race ban following a 10-second penalty during the Sprint at the United States Grand Prix. The incident occurred on October 19, 2025, while Bearman was battling Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the final points-paying position.

On lap 14 of 19, Bearman ran wide at Turn 15, attempting to maintain his lead over Antonelli, who had the inside line. According to FIA driving guidelines, the attacking driver does not have to leave room if he is fully alongside at the apex. As Bearman rejoined the track ahead, officials penalized him, which caused him to drop from eighth to 15th in the final standings.

Bearman initially feared the penalty would come with additional points against his super license, which could lead to a race ban. He was already on 10 of the 12 allowed penalty points. “I felt pretty hard done by this morning,” Bearman said, admitting he was “really, really annoyed” when he thought a race ban was imminent. “I had a bit of fire in me,” he added.

Although several factors complicated the situation, including a subsequent safety car deployment due to a crash involving Lance Stroll, Bearman noted that he and his team had little time to make a decision regarding Antonelli’s challenge. “We didn’t have a long time to really think about it, because the safety car came out directly,” he explained.

Despite the turmoil, Haas F1 took some positives away from the race. An upgrade, which had been successful in practice, was installed on both cars for the remainder of the weekend. “Generally, I think the upgrade is pushing us in the right direction,” Bearman commented, despite the challenges of navigating a tricky track. He qualified eighth for the grand prix and expressed pride in his performance and the team’s efforts.

Bearman’s level of caution in the sprint race reflects the thin margin separating success from failure for drivers navigating the complexities of Formula 1 racing. His next opportunity to prove himself will come at the Mexico City Grand Prix.