Haas Driver Faces Grid Penalty for Overtaking Under Red Flag Conditions
Haas Formula 1 rookie, Oliver Bearman, has been hit with a 10-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix following an overtaking incident under red flag conditions during second practice. The incident occurred at La Rascasse after the session was prematurely halted due to Oscar Piastri’s crash at Sainte Devote.
Overtaking Incident During Red Flag Period Violates FIA Regulations
According to an FIA report, Bearman was informed of the red flag situation “rather late” and “just before the overtake happened.” However, video footage showed a light panel directly in front of him at the time. The dashboard also indicated the red flag well before the overtake took place.
The regulations require drivers to “immediately” reduce speed and proceed slowly back to their respective pits. They are also cautioned that overtaking is forbidden during a red flag situation, and they should remember that race and service vehicles may be on the track.
Bearman claimed he saw the red flags but decided not to slow down abruptly, stating that doing so would have been more dangerous. However, the FIA disagreed with his decision, stating that he did not take sufficient steps to slow down and instead proceeded slowly back to the pits as required.
The FIA imposed a penalty of a 10 grid place drop for the Race and 2 penalty points, citing the importance of driver safety during red flag situations, especially in a track like Monaco where visibility is limited.
Bearman finished 15th in both Friday practice sessions, but he remains positive about the rest of the weekend. He stated that they made a good step with the car from FP1 to FP2 and was happy with the balance. They tried a short run on medium tires to assess their performance across one lap, which seemed robust.
Bearman will now start the race 10 places lower due to the penalty, but he remains optimistic about improving his position during the race. Let’s see how he fares in the Monaco Grand Prix!
