Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson have both been penalised, for dangerous driving and causing a collision respectively, in Formula 1’s Brazil Grand Prix sprint race after tangling on the opening lap.
On the exit of Turn 3, Bearman had just lost a battle with hometown hero Gabriel Bortoleto and switched to the inside line on the run to Turn 4. However, Lawson had filled the space to the left of him and Bearman did not leave enough room for the Kiwi to avoid the grass.
With Lawson still to Bearman’s left through Turn 4, the Haas driver left half a car’s width on the inside but the two drivers touched, pitching Bearman into a spin.
Both drivers blamed each other in the aftermath of the shunt. In the first stewards’ review, it was deemed that Bearman had created “unnecessary risk” by edging Lawson onto the grass. However, Lawson also took a penalty for causing Bearman to spin into Turn 4, with it being adjudged that the Kiwi was not sufficiently alongside.
Both drivers took a five-second penalty in their overall sprint race times; Lawson’s penalty was reduced from the usual 10-second drop as stewards took low grip conditions into account. Bearman finished 12th ahead of Lawson, although this will not affect his final position – although Lawson now drops to 16th behind Nico Hulkenberg.
The pair were also awarded a single penalty point each for the incidents, bringing Bearman’s total back up to nine just days after losing two points from his licence, and Lawson up to eight from the maximum 12.
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Hector Vivas / Getty Images
The first stewards’ report read: “The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 87 (Oliver Bearman), the driver of Car 30 (Liam Lawson), team representatives and reviewed video and in-car video evidence.
“After losing momentum at the exit of Turn 3, Car 87 was approached by Car 30, which had greater speed and was in the process of drawing alongside on the straight towards Turn 4. As Car 30 attempted to move alongside, the driver of Car 87 moved to the left, leaving insufficient room and forcing Car 30 to place two wheels on the wet grass.
“Although Car 30 managed to keep control and avoid contact, this manoeuvre occurred at high speed and created an unnecessary risk.
“The Stewards consider that the move of Car 87 constituted potentially dangerous driving, in breach of Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2 e) of the International Sporting Code.
“As no contact occurred and Car 30 was able to maintain control, and considering consistency with comparable previous cases, the Stewards deem a 5-second time penalty and 1 penalty point to be appropriate and proportionate.”
The second report added that: “In Turn 4, Car 30, slightly offset alongside Car 87, moved slightly to the right, while Car 87, following the natural line of the left-hand corner, turned slightly towards Car 30. As a result, the left rear wheel of Car 87 became entangled with the right front wheel of Car 30, causing Car 87 to spin. Both cars were able to continue the race thereafter.
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Mark Thompson – Getty Images
“Video evidence from circuit cameras and onboard footage did not clearly establish whether the front axle of Car 30 was at least momentarily alongside the rear-view mirror of Car 87 prior to the apex, let alone whether this overlap was maintained at the apex – as would be required under the Driving Standards Guidelines for an overtaking car on the inside to be entitled to racing room.
“According to LAW, the collision was a direct consequence of the prior incident that happened on the straight between Turn 3 and Turn 4 (see Doc. 40), after which Car 30 was struggling with colder and damp left tyres. As a result. LAW stated that he experienced understeer, which caused his car to drift slightly towards BEA’s car and resulted in the contact between both cars.
“The Stewards determined that Car 30 (LAW) was predominantly to blame for the collision. However, the Stewards take into account the track conditions, the fact that LAW had colder damp tyres and the fact that his front axle was almost alongside the mirror of
Car 87 and consider these as mitigating circumstances.”
The incident between Lawson and Bearman preceded the later red flag in the sprint, six laps before the moment where Oscar Piastri and Franco Colapinto both sustained Turn 3 shunts after losing grip on the kerb, while Hulkenberg also went off at the same place but managed to continue despite sustaining damage.
Bearman then later followed Esteban Ocon past Lawson once more as the Kiwi struggled in the final laps, then made up further places when Bortoleto crashed late on – and the errant front wing debris from the Sauber also dispensed with Alex Albon in the final lap.
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– The Autosport.com Team