Oliver Bearman receives 10-second penalty for collision with Pierre Gasly

The collision at Turn 13

The stewards handed Oliver Bearman a 10-second penalty for his collision with Pierre Gasly during the United States Grand Prix on 25 October 2026. Bearman attempted to pass the Alpine driver for 10th place after a Virtual Safety Car restart provided him with a good launch and battery level. He caught the two cars in front of him quickly and forced Gasly into a defensive position heading into Turn 12. He then sent his car up the inside into Turn 13, but the stewards ruled that the front axle of the Haas was not ahead of the mirror of the Alpine at the apex. The contact occurred when his front-left tyre clipped the right-hand side of Gasly’s car. Bearman climbed up onto the kerb to try and avoid the contact, but he told reporters that he simply could not disappear once he was committed to the move. The stewards determined that the driver of car 87 was wholly to blame for the collision. Bearman expressed his shock via radio, asking "you’re kidding me?" when the team informed him of the penalty.

Bearman disputes the decision

Bearman branded the decision "crazy" and "very excessive" after the incident. He argued that the penalty was hard to justify because he felt he earned enough space for the move. "I was pretty shocked, to be honest. If anything, it was a racing incident. I felt a bit hard done by for it to be a 10-second penalty as well, especially given some of the incidents that have happened this year that have gone either unpenalized or were a five-second penalty," Bearman said. Bearman told media that he felt he earned enough space for the move, noting that he had to climb onto the kerb to avoid contact but simply could not disappear once he was committed. The contact caused significant damage to the Haas, which Bearman said ruined his race. He lost a second a lap due to a loss of downforce after the impact loosened the floorboard. As the floorboard loosened, the car began to vibrate and deteriorate, making the machine unpredictable and dangerous. Bearman eventually decided to retire the car to protect the engine mileage and other parts, telling his team, "I’m not in this race anymore. I’m going to let Esteban go." He allowed his teammate Esteban Ocon to pass at the earliest opportunity because he did not want to hold him up while they fought to beat Audi. Bearman also stated he did not regret the move, noting that the team must be aggressive to score points on merit. He added that while Gasly likely scored points after the contact, he felt the position could have been his.

Comparisons with other penalties

The stewards used different criteria for other drivers involved in similar battles during the race. George Russell received a five-second penalty for leaving the track at Turn 12 while defending his position against Isack Hadjar. The stewards decided the penalty should be mitigated because it was a first-lap incident and Russell had been pressuring the car in front. Russell stayed ahead of the McLaren after the move and reacted to his engineer’s warning by stating, "I was on the inside, he was overtaking on the outside, that’s his risk." Gabriel Bortoleto also faced a similar situation when he left the edge of the track at Turn 11 while attempting to pass Franco Colapinto. The stewards took no action against Bortoleto because they could not determine which driver was ahead at the apex. This decision followed the Driving Standards Guidelines which state a driver is entitled to racing room on the inside if their front axle is ahead. While Bearman’s car suffered, Gasly went on to finish in 10th place to score a point.