Formula 1 newcomer, Oliver Bearman, made his debut at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix with a rather rocky start. The Haas rookie, in his first official weekend in the elite racing circuit, found himself overstepping the mark during the preliminary stages of the weekend, a misstep he now openly regrets.
The 19-year-old British driver found himself in a precarious situation during Free Practice 1 (FP1) at Albert Park when he lost control at the Turn 9/10 chicane. With only a little over 20 minutes left in the session, Bearman took too much kerb, slid into the gravel, and ended up hitting the barriers. The mishap left his VF-25 with substantial damage, consequently forcing the Haas team to sit out FP2 for necessary repairs.
Reflecting on the incident, Bearman confessed, “The feeling was good. I think just wanting a bit too much, too soon – which is kind of my approach, which isn’t really the right one for F1.” He further acknowledged that his approach, perhaps more suitable for F2, where you go straight to qualifying after the first practice session, was incompatible with the structure of F1 sessions.
Bearman’s crash was a result of a minor misjudgment in handling the car over the Turn 10 compression. He explained, “Just a bit too much steering lock over the compression at the apex of 10, which sent me wide, and it’s quite bumpy out there. I just lost it.”
The Haas team found themselves on the back foot as they scrambled to repair the damage. Despite their best efforts, the extensive repairs couldn’t be completed before FP2. Bearman, remorseful for his mistake, apologized to the team, acknowledging their hard work and promising them a round of beers on Sunday.
To add to the team’s challenges, Bearman’s teammate, Esteban Ocon, also had a less than stellar performance. The Frenchman finished FP2 at the bottom of the timesheets, trailing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by over 1.5 seconds.
Haas team principal, Ayao Komatsu, admitted that the opening day was not up to their expectations. He said, “We have one indication as to why in FP1, but Ollie crashed, so we couldn’t completely get to the bottom of why we were uncompetitive. So we need to make another step tonight and then do the best we can tomorrow.”
Despite the underwhelming start, Bearman remains optimistic and is determined to bounce back during Saturday’s FP3. He hopes to make the most of the crucial track time ahead of qualifying, putting Friday’s setback behind him. His resilience and determination will undoubtedly be key as he navigates the rest of the weekend and his burgeoning F1 career.
