Oliver Bearman Recounts Near-Miss with Hadjar and Chinese GP Recovery

Haas driver Oliver Bearman described the split-second decision that saved his Chinese Grand Prix after a near-collision with a spinning Isack Hadjar, an incident he initially feared had ended his race. Instead, a timely Safety Car allowed him to recover to a strong fifth-place finish, continuing his impressive points-scoring form in his rookie season.

Why it matters:

Bearman's quick reflexes prevented a major opening-lap crash and showcased the racecraft required to capitalize on chaotic situations. His subsequent recovery to fifth place underscores both his personal consistency and Haas's ability to seize opportunities in a tight midfield, moving him up to fifth in the Drivers' Championship.

The details:

• The incident occurred at the final corner on the opening lap as Bearman battled Red Bull's Isack Hadjar for position.
• Hadjar's car snapped into a spin directly in Bearman's path, forcing the Haas driver to make an instantaneous choice to avoid a collision.
  • "I could have gone left or right, and in the end, I chose left and had to go off track," Bearman recounted.
• Taking to the run-off area cost him multiple positions, dropping him to 13th.
• The deployment of a Safety Car for a separate incident involving Lance Stroll allowed Bearman to close up to the pack and begin his recovery drive.
• He was running in a solid fifth place and pulling away from Max Verstappen's Red Bull before retiring late due to an ERS cooling issue.

What's next:

The result marks points in seven of the last nine races for the Briton, solidifying his status as a consistent performer in the midfield.

• Bearman acknowledged the element of luck with rivals like McLaren absent and Red Bull struggling, but emphasized that his team was "there to pick up the pieces."
• He noted that while Alpine showed strong pace, particularly from Pierre Gasly, Haas "won the race we needed to win" within the midfield battle.
• The focus remains on maintaining this momentum and improving the car's performance to fight at the front of the tight midfield pack in the coming races.