Oliver Bearman Lambastes FIA for Unjust Treatment During Imola GP Qualifying
Young British driver Oliver Bearman did not hold back his frustration as he criticized the FIA for what he deemed as “totally unfair” treatment during the qualifying session for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. The Haas driver saw his fastest lap deleted due to a late red flag, a decision that left him seething with disappointment.
Bearman revealed that he was not promptly informed about the red flag situation, claiming that he only saw the red light on his dashboard “quite a way after I crossed the line.” The qualifying session at Imola was marred by two red flags, with Yuki Tsunoda and Franco Colapinto being the unfortunate drivers involved in incidents that brought out the stoppages.
Despite the belief that his lap should have stood since he was not notified in time, the FIA ruled otherwise, leaving Bearman to qualify in 19th place, just ahead of Tsunoda, who could not set a time due to his crash. Expressing his dismay, Bearman stated, “I feel like once they make a decision, even if it’s wrong – even if it’s clearly wrong – they’re not going to turn back on it. And that seems a bit harsh.”
The deletion of Bearman’s lap not only dashed his hopes of moving up the grid but also robbed him of the opportunity to showcase the potential of the new package that his team had been working on for months. Despite the Haas team’s efforts to argue his case, the stewards stood firm on their ruling, leaving Bearman at the back of the grid for the upcoming race.
With teammate Esteban Ocon alongside him in 18th place, Bearman will have to mount a significant challenge to make his way through the field during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Stay tuned for more updates on this controversial qualifying saga as the drama unfolds on the iconic Imola circuit.
