British Driver Oliver Bearman Crashes in Australian Grand Prix Free Practice

In a disappointing start to the Australian Grand Prix, Haas driver Oliver Bearman crashed during the first free practice session. Despite being cleared by medical staff on-site, his car, the VF-25, sustained extensive damage.

Cause of the Crash Explained

With less than twenty minutes remaining in the session, Bearman took too much kerb at Turns 9 and 10, causing his car to run onto the gravel. The oversteer on his return to the track led to a snap, ultimately resulting in a crash into the wall. At the time of the incident, he was in P18.

Ahead of the session, Bearman expressed his eagerness to see how the car performs on lower fuel levels, as he hadn’t had the opportunity yet due to some issues encountered earlier. He also mentioned that the Australian track is quite different from Bahrain and was looking forward to understanding the car’s performance on this new terrain.

Impact of the Incident and Next Steps

The crash has caused damage to both the front and rear of the VF-25. With limited time before FP2, the American team will have a tight turnaround to get the car ready for the next practice session. This is the first time Bearman has driven the car with lower fuel levels and on soft tyres, factors that could potentially have contributed to the incident.