Oliver Bearman Nears F1 Race Ban After Italian GP Penalty

Haas F1 driver Oliver Bearman expressed his deep disappointment after the Italian Grand Prix, where a collision penalty denied him potential points and brought him to the brink of an automatic one-race ban.

Why it Matters

Bearman received two penalty points on his FIA superlicence at Monza, bringing his total to 10 within the last 12 months. This places him at the top of the F1 disciplinary charts. Drivers who accumulate 12 penalty points within a 12-month period face an automatic one-race suspension, a situation his predecessor Kevin Magnussen encountered earlier this season.

The Incident

Bearman and Carlos Sainz made contact at the second chicane during the closing stages of the Italian Grand Prix, resulting in both cars spinning. The Haas driver was deemed at fault, incurring a 10-second time penalty in addition to the two superlicence points. In untelevised team radio footage, Bearman initially attributed blame to Sainz, stating, "He just turned in front of me like I wasn’t there." After crossing the line in 12th, he lamented, "Wow, that’s such a f***ing shame."

Bearman's Reaction

Speaking post-race, Bearman admitted his frustration at missing out on points: "It’s really sad honestly as the car felt great today. I had to really fight as we were slow in the straights, but without the incident with Carlos Sainz, I think we could’ve been fighting for points – it’s just a big shame." He later added to reporters that he believed points were "easily on offer today."

Penalty Point Accumulation

Bearman's current tally of 10 points includes eight accumulated during his debut F1 2025 season. Previous penalties include two points for overtaking Sainz under red flags during FP2 in Monaco and four points for a single incident at the British Grand Prix, where he failed to respect red flags and crashed at the pit entry during FP3. The two points from Monza will remain on his record until November 2, when two points from a 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix incident expire. His Haas teammate Esteban Ocon also received a five-second penalty and one superlicence point for an incident at the same chicane during the race.