Ollie Bearman Spins Out Again at Australian Grand Prix Practice

MELBOURNE, Australia — Haas rookie Ollie Bearman faced another setback during the Australian Grand Prix weekend after spinning into the gravel in Free Practice 3 on Saturday morning. This incident came just a day after a heavy crash in Free Practice 1 that limited his track time.

The 19-year-old driver had hoped to make significant progress during the final practice session at Albert Park, aiming to recover from the damage sustained in his earlier crash. However, on his first flying lap, Bearman lost control of his Haas as he entered Turn 11, leading to a spin that left him stranded in the gravel. Fortunately, he did not make contact with the wall.

“It’s frustrating to have another incident so soon after my crash,” Bearman said after returning to the garage. “I just need to capitalize on my time on track moving forward.”

The red flags were deployed for approximately 12 minutes to allow track marshals to clear Bearman’s vehicle, limiting the available time for other drivers to record competitive laps. Lando Norris topped the first practice session on Friday, and during FP3, he continued to showcase his speed before qualifying, ultimately finishing with a best lap of 1:15.921.

In the aftermath of Bearman’s incident, competitors returned to the track to fine-tune their settings before qualifying. George Russell, driving for Mercedes, and reigning champion Max Verstappen both turned in strong performances, with Russell finishing in second place, just 0.039 seconds behind Piastri.

Verstappen was not far behind, crossing the line at 1:16.002, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also performed well, placing fourth. Both Williams drivers, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, rounded out the top six positions, demonstrating the team’s competitive pace this season.

“Today’s session was vital,” Piastri stated. “It helped us refine our car setup and prepare for what could be a wet race on Sunday.”

Meanwhile, Bearman’s teammate at Haas, Esteban Ocon, experienced difficulties as well, as the team struggled with car balance and setup throughout the practice sessions.

The teams will reconvene for one last meeting to review data and finalize strategies before qualifying, set to begin at 4 PM local time. With rain predicted for race day, the stakes are higher for all competitors as they adapt their setups accordingly.