Liam Lawson Fully Accepts Blame for Spanish GP Crash

Liam Lawson accepted blame for his incident with Ollie Bearman during the Spanish Grand Prix on June 2. Lawson finished just outside the points at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after a tense battle with the Haas rookie, which became a key moment in an otherwise calm race.

On lap 1, as Lawson challenged Bearman at Turn 1, he clipped the Haas car. Bearman had to use the run-off area but was not given extra racing room, as Lawson’s front wing was not level with Bearman’s mirror at the apex.

Race officials reviewed the episode and chose not to penalize Lawson because Bearman kept the position at the corner. A few laps later, the contest between the two drivers heated up again.

This time, Bearman took to the run-off while defending against another passing attempt by Lawson, rejoining the track ahead and keeping his position. The stewards decided that Bearman had gained an advantage, issuing a 10-second penalty to the British driver.

Bearman ended the race classified 17th, last among all runners, and finished only 1.5 seconds behind Lawson on the road. Lawson spoke about the incident after the race, admitting the initial contact was “completely on me.”

He added that while his car felt strong on long runs and he was catching Bearman by a second every lap, both drivers lost valuable time from their close-fought exchange. Lawson also recognized Bearman’s defensive drive and said, “We’re here to race, so there is nothing I can do about it.”

Bearman gave his perspective after learning of his penalty. He said he felt “hard done by” and believed he was forced off the track unfairly but wanted to review the footage.

The penalty ended a difficult day for the Haas team, with Bearman hoping for better results in the next events. Elsewhere on the race weekend, Max Verstappen made a statement concerning his incident with George Russell, calling the clash “not right.”

The Spanish Grand Prix presented several other storylines as well, including Nico Hulkenberg’s reaction to a surprise result over Lewis Hamilton and updated driver ratings for 2025. The updated points table shows McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the top, with 186 and 176 points, respectively.

Max Verstappen follows in third place on 137 points. Looking forward, the F1 calendar features the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 15, followed by Austria, Britain, and Belgium through July.

Teams like Racing Bulls and Haas will aim to improve on recent performances as the 2025 season continues. Lawson’s candor after his run-in with Bearman underlines the intensity and sportsmanship seen throughout the paddock.

With several high-profile battles and dramatic moments, the Spanish Grand Prix set the stage for more exciting races to come.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.