Oliver Bearman explained that he was happy to be a team player for Haas after receiving what he described as a “harsh” 10-place grid penalty for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.
The Brit was in good form in the free practice sessions on Friday, but his chances of points at the principality were significantly blunted after receiving the penalty, having been adjudged to have impeded Carlos Sainz’s Williams in the FP2.
Condemning Bearman to a likely start towards or indeed at the very back of the grid, the American squad and the rookie agreed to ensure that team-mate Esteban Ocon would be given a clear chance to progress.
After qualifying, Bearman explained to media, including Motorsport Week, that whilst feeling hard done by, he was happy to give Ocon a good crack at securing a good grid spot for the race, given the VF-25’s pace looks promising around the street circuit.
“Yeah, I feel like it was a harsh penalty, honestly, for everything that happened,” he said. “I felt like there were some mitigating circumstances, namely the huge delta speed and the lack of time I had to react… C’est la vie.
“For today, the only thing was [to] make sure… I didn’t want to be in Q2 at the expense of the wrong person. If it happened that it played out and I knocked my teammate out of Q2, that would have been a disaster, so I’m glad we didn’t do that.”
Bearman further explained the rationale, realising that an unenviable grid position was always going to be a nigh-on certainty, giving Haas a chance of points via his team-mate would be the best outcome/
“I understand, I’m starting 20th anyway, regardless of what happens, and I wouldn’t want to get in the way of anyone. The goal was maybe to be in Q2 and knock out a competitor, but of course I don’t want to knock out an ally.
“But I’m glad, because the car felt really on rails today and really good.”
Stewards could have looked ‘more kindly’ on Bearman
When asked if the penalty of ten places, rather than five, was additionally unfair, Bearman said that he believed that his actions avoided a full-on collision between himself and Sainz, which would have been a bigger issue.
“I don’t know what the standard penalty is, it’s quite a rare thing, but I feel like we’re in a street track against the walls,” he said. “And in a split second, I have to decide whether to slow down 120 kph in 60 meters or overtake the guy at a safe speed.
“Of course, I didn’t want to lock up and hit him, that would have been an absolute disaster. And I think I would have been in a lot more trouble than what I was now.
“But given the circumstances, I think I could have dealt with it a bit more kindly.”
Bearman joked that “we’ll probably try the two-stop” in his damage limitation strategy, amid the FIA’s imposed rule on a mandatory minimum of two tyre stops in the race, adding: “I’m not sure, I need to discuss with the guys, but I’ve had a few ideas. Starting from last, we can take the maximum risk to try something. I’m not sure what that will end up being, but let’s see.”
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