Haas rookie Bearman hit with 10-place grid penalty for red flag breach

MONACO: Haas Formula One rookie Oliver Bearman has received a 10-place grid penalty for ignoring red flag warnings during Friday’s practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix. The 20-year-old Briton was also given two penalty points on his FIA super licence.

The penalty was issued after Bearman overtook Carlos Sainz’s Williams following the red flag being shown, an action strictly prohibited under FIA regulations. According to the race stewards, video footage clearly showed a red flag light panel directly in Bearman’s line of sight, along with a red flag indication on his dashboard prior to the overtake.

Bearman defended his actions by claiming he saw the red flags but chose not to slow abruptly, believing that an immediate deceleration on Monaco’s narrow streets could have posed a greater safety risk. However, the stewards disagreed, emphasizing that drivers must always obey red flag signals, especially at a circuit as tight and unpredictable as Monaco.

The grid drop adds an early setback to Bearman’s budding F1 career, underlining the high expectations and strict standards in the sport’s top tier.