Frustrated Haas F1 Team Demands FIA Clarify Oliver Bearman Q1 Exit

The Haas Formula 1 team has requested an official explanation from the FIA after Oliver Bearman’s fastest lap in Q1 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was deleted. Bearman, representing Haas, believed he had completed his quickest lap in time to advance to the next round of qualifying.

The drama unfolded when a crash by Franco Colapinto caused a red flag in the closing moments of Q1. According to Haas, Bearman completed his run and crossed the finish line before any red flags were visible, making his lap valid from their point of view.

During post-session checks, FIA stewards analyzed the timing data to determine the exact sequence of events. The governing body stated that the red flag was triggered at 16:32:17.6 local time.

Bearman crossed the timing line at 16:32:20.9, just three seconds later. The FIA’s decision was to remove Bearman’s time since the red flag was in effect when he finished his lap, even though visual and dashboard indications appeared only a moment later.

Haas disagrees, insisting Bearman did not see a red flag on track or in the car’s systems before crossing the line.

Haas released a statement on Sunday saying they had met with the FIA after qualifying and were now seeking further written clarification regarding the stewards’ process for Bearman’s final Q1 lap. They expressed concern that lack of clarity in red flag timing could impact qualifying results in the future.

They also asked what improvements could be made to avoid such situations. Haas wants more transparency to ensure similar issues are avoided for all teams.

Bearman publicly voiced his frustration, calling the decision to delete his lap “totally unfair.” He explained that the red warning light on his dashboard appeared only after he finished his lap and that onboard camera footage showed the start gantry still displaying green when he crossed the line.

Bearman expressed little hope that the decision would be reversed, saying it seemed that once the FIA made their ruling, it was unlikely to change even if it was later shown to be incorrect. More details on Bearman’s comments can be found in this Bearman FIA Imola qualifying report.

The FIA defended its action in a statement, stressing that the main objective was to confirm whether Bearman finished before or after the red flag was activated. They said the integrity of the timing system was reviewed, and, based on their findings, Bearman’s lap was completed after the official red flag signal.

Qualifying was briefly paused while they finished their analysis, and the results saw Bearman placed nineteenth for Sunday’s race.

This incident has sparked debate about how red flag timing is managed in F1 and what steps can be taken to guarantee consistency for drivers and teams. The crash by Franco Colapinto that caused the red flag also led to penalties affecting the grid.

As the season continues, many in the paddock are watching for any further statements from the FIA and Haas regarding potential changes to qualifying procedures. For now, Haas hopes their push for answers helps drive improvement in race control communication and timing accuracy. For more insights into F1 regulations, you can refer to the Formula 1 official regulations.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.