Bearman furious after a tough day in Austin but proud of his performance
Oliver Bearman finished qualifying for the United States Grand Prix in Austin in eighth position, reaching Q3 once again after a challenging day. The young British driver explained that he approached the weekend with great determination, despite the difficulties caused by the Sprint format and the penalty he received earlier in the morning. Speaking to the media in Austin, including ScuderiaFans.com, Oliver Bearman reflected on the intense day.
“I don’t know what you guys think, but this morning I felt like I was treated unfairly. I had a bit of fire inside me after everything that happened. It’s a very difficult track, full of bumps and with very little margin for error. For a rookie, with the Sprint format and only one real session to prepare, it’s a huge challenge. To be here, in P8, is something I’m really proud of – for me and for the team.”
Bearman disagrees: “Ten seconds is too much”
The biggest talking point, however, was the ten-second penalty he received during the Sprint Race. Oliver Bearman didn’t hide his frustration after qualifying in Austin:
“I think ten seconds is a harsh penalty. I don’t want to say too much, but I felt like I was punished unfairly. Everything happened very quickly – the Safety Car came out immediately, and there wasn’t really time to decide whether to give the position back. From where I was sitting, it was hard to know exactly where the other car was. In the end, I finished eighth and gave everything I had. I don’t really care if it’s eighth or tenth – I did the maximum with what I had.”
Looking ahead to the race: “Tomorrow, let’s stay out of trouble”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, Oliver Bearman said he planned to approach things with more caution – but still with determination:
“Tomorrow I’ll try to stay out of risky fights, but honestly, I was already quite careful this morning. Maybe too careful.”
The British driver also discussed the new aerodynamic upgrade that the team introduced starting from the Sprint qualifying session. According to Oliver Bearman, the update made the car quicker but also more sensitive to external conditions.
“I hadn’t really had the chance to test it before – we only did one lap in Sprint qualifying. During the Sprint Race, we understood the behavior better and adjusted the car accordingly. Now the car is more on the edge – even a bit of wind can make the rear move around. But it’s faster, and that’s what really matters.”
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