Oliver Bearman at risk of disqualification, Rosberg defends him: “Unfair penalty, Sainz to blame”
Oliver Bearman is once again in the spotlight after the 2025 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, but this time not for his on-track performance. The young Haas driver was handed a 10-second penalty and two penalty points on his Super Licence following his clash with Carlos Sainz at the Variante della Roggia. It is an episode that could prove extremely costly for the British rookie.
With 10 points already accumulated on his licence, Oliver Bearman now stands just two points away from an automatic race ban. A couple more infractions in the upcoming rounds in Azerbaijan, Singapore, the United States or Mexico could force him to miss a Grand Prix.
The decision has sparked major debate, leading 2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg to openly defend the Haas driver. According to Rosberg, the responsibility for the incident does not lie with Oliver Bearman.
“Oliver had half a car alongside, not just his front wing. That is a significant margin. Why didn’t Carlos Sainz leave him space? If he had done so, there would have been no incident,” Rosberg told Sky F1, strongly criticising the stewards’ ruling.
Support for the young Briton also came from Jamie Chadwick, who was convinced the collision could have been avoided and that the penalty was far too harsh. “I don’t know where Bearman was supposed to go. Carlos could have left more space, just as we’ve seen in other midfield battles. It wasn’t worth 10 seconds,” the British driver commented.
The verdict from the stewards has therefore split opinion. Some argue that Oliver Bearman defended firmly but fairly, while others believe the young Haas driver still has much to learn when it comes to wheel-to-wheel racing. One thing is certain: with the threat of a ban hanging over him, Ollie Bearman will have to be extremely careful in the next races.
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