Haas Demands Explanation from FIA Regarding Ollie Bearman’s Disqualification
The British racer, Oliver Bearman, found himself on the sidelines of Formula 1’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after being disqualified during the first qualifying session. Despite posting a lap time that seemed to secure his spot in Q2, the session was red-flagged following an accident involving Franco Colapinto.
The Red Flag Controversy Explained
The FIA deliberated over the decision during the interval as Colapinto’s car was recovered from the track. In the meantime, Gabriel Bortoleto took over Bearman’s position on the grid. The stewards ruled that Bearman’s lap should be expunged from the timesheets due to the red flag. However, Haas argued that Bearman had crossed the line before the red flag was shown.
Haas believes the FIA made a mistake in their judgement and has now demanded a full explanation from Formula 1’s governing body. In a statement on Sunday morning, Haas said, “After discussions with the FIA last night, we have subsequently asked for further written clarification on the decision-making concerning Ollie Bearman’s final Q1 lap.
The team also inquired about measures the FIA could implement to prevent such incidents in the future. They stated, “Upon review, we will be more informed to comment.” TV pictures and live timing information showed that Bearman had crossed the line before the red flag, meaning he should have progressed into Q2.
The FIA’s Defense of Their Decision
On Saturday night, the FIA defended their decision in a statement saying, “The red flag was set at 16:32 and 17.6 seconds. Bearman crossed the line at 16:32 and 20.9 seconds, with the abort signal/red flag showing on the start gantry.
They continued, “Qualifying Two was delayed to enable the stewards to consult the relevant timing experts and examine the underlining data to satisfy themselves that the timing system data was valid and it was therefore right to proceed.” The overriding objective was to determine whether or not Bearman had completed the lap before or after the red flag and whether the lap should be disallowed, to ensure the right drivers progressed to Qualifying Two.
Despite Bearman’s unhappiness after qualifying, he hailed the FIA’s decision as “unfair” and believed his lap should have stood. He stated, “We get the red light on our dash. That for me didn’t happen until quite a way after I crossed the line.” Watching the outboard video, it was clear that there was no red flag displayed when he crossed the line.
Bearman concluded, “So, I believe it’s totally unfair to have [the lap] deleted. I feel like once they make a decision, even if it’s wrong – even if it’s clearly wrong – they’re not going to turn back on it. And that seems a bit harsh.
