Ferrari Driver Academy member Oliver Bearman stepped in for the unwell Kevin Magnussen throughout the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend. For the young Haas driver, who will be a regular driver next year, this was his third time this season driving a Formula 1 car.
The Sao Paulo weekend at the 4.309-kilometre Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Brazil concluded with Max Verstappen’s extraordinary victory, coming back from seventeenth place. In a surprising twist, both Alpine drivers also reached the podium. Weather conditions became a major talking point. Saturday’s qualifying was postponed to Sunday due to heavy rain, and things weren’t much better during the race, with the water making the track slippery and dangerous due to poor visibility.
At one point during the Brazilian GP, Oliver Bearman feared for his life. The young Brit spoke to his team in a chilling radio message: “I can’t even see. Talk to the FIA. This is really dangerous. I’m not trying to die.”
The importance of safety measures in such conditions has often been a central topic of discussion. Formula 1 drivers have their own union, the GPDA, led by George Russell and chaired by former driver Alexander Wurz.
On the Monday following the race in São Paulo, the GPDA created its own Instagram page, following all current F1 drivers as well as Alexander Wurz and Sebastian Vettel, the union’s former head. This coincidence has raised questions: can we expect a joint statement on safety from those involved?
For Haas, it was a disastrous weekend on all fronts. Oliver Bearman finished the race outside the points, while Nico Hulkenberg was disqualified.
Source: f1ingenerale
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