According to Motorsport.com, Oliver Bearman was left "pretty shocked" after picking up a 10-second penalty for a collision with Pierre Gasly during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin. Bearman had already made up two positions on the opening lap before lunging down the inside of Gasly for 10th place at Turn 13 on the following tour.
Realizing the gap was closing fast, the Haas F1 Team driver put two wheels on the yellow inside kerb. His front-left wheel still grazed the sidepod of the Alpine, and while the contact was tenuous, it triggered a 10-second penalty from the FIA stewards alongside significant damage to both machines.
"I was pretty shocked to be honest," Bearman said. He felt hard done by given other incidents this year that went unpunished or received five-second penalties, calling 10 seconds excessive. He maintained that he had enough of his car alongside to earn space, noting he was climbing the kerb to avoid contact: "I simply couldn't. I couldn't disappear once I decided to go for the move. I didn't lock up, I didn't lose any control, it was just simply I couldn't disappear at that stage. Ten seconds is crazy, given all of those facts."
Unfortunately, the penalty was only part of the problem. That tiny touch loosened the floorboard, and over the next few laps, the vibrations caused it to work its way off. After about five laps of feeling competitive, the machine began to deteriorate rapidly.
By lap 11, the damage forced Bearman to wave team-mate Esteban Ocon through. He explained that after losing roughly eight tenths in sector one from one lap to the next, he knew the damage had become catastrophic. Wanting to help the team try and beat Audi rather than hold anyone up, he let Ocon past at the earliest opportunity. The machine ultimately became too unpredictable and dangerous, prompting a retirement on lap 24 to save engine mileage and important parts.
On the other side of the garage, Pierre Gasly managed to hold on to 10th position at the chequered flag with an eight-second deficit to Liam Lawson. However, the Frenchman felt the contact cost him a shot at the Racing Bulls. The touch ripped a sizeable chunk out of the front and mid sections of the right side of his floor, costing his Alpine close to 10 downforce points. While pleased to salvage 10th, Gasly admitted he was left wondering what might have been possible against Liam without that damage.
