Scandal at Imola: FIA’s mismanagement demands urgent action | F1 Emilia Romagna GP. After Oliver Bearman's Q1 time was unfairly deleted due to FIA system delays.

Unfortunately, I’m here once again, criticizing the work of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the governing body of Formula 1.

Believe it or not, it’s the last thing I want to do, but I simply cannot avoid expressing my deep skepticism—if not outright disgust—about what happened on Saturday.

The incident
During the first qualifying session at Imola, Q1, Franco Colapinto was involved in a violent crash—thankfully without consequences—at the Tamburello chicane.

Before the red flag was shown (and once again, the timing of that deserves discussion), Oliver Bearman completed a lap that would have secured him 10th place and a spot in Q2.

You may have noticed the use of the conditional tense. That wasn’t a mistake, nor a casual choice. The conditional is used simply because Oliver Bearman didn’t make it to Q2, as that lap time was deleted.

The reason? A delay in the FIA systems: on track and on the timing screens, the red flag signal came after Oliver Bearman crossed the finish line—but not according to the stewards.

The explanation given by the stewards confirms that a real injustice took place, as the Haas driver himself pointed out: “Totally unfair. It was clear there was no red flag yet when I crossed the line,” he said.

Many doubts remain, while the only certainty—now more and more established—is that things cannot continue like this. For the good of Formula 1, something must be done. Once and for all.