Unbelievable scenes in the Netherlands: Ollie Bearman could be forced to start from the pit lane due to a shocking blunder from his team!
What happened yesterday at Zandvoort is rather unusual: Oliver Bearman has been referred to the stewards after qualifying for the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix. The reason is not a track-related infringement, but rather a procedural violation committed by Haas.
Qualifying had already been a nightmare for the American outfit and for Bearman himself: with Lance Stroll crashing out and ending up 20th, the two Haas drivers finished 18th (Ocon) and 19th (Bearman) — essentially last and second-to-last.
But for Ollie, things might get even worse after FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer’s report.
Bearman Facing Pit-Lane Start: What Happened
According to the FIA delegates, the American squad failed to cover car #87 within the two hours after the Q3 chequered flag, as required by Article 40.6 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations. A minor procedural detail on paper, but one that could have huge consequences on the British rookie’s weekend.
The case has now been officially referred to the stewards, who will decide on the sanction in the coming hours. The most likely scenario, should the violation be confirmed, would be a pit-lane start. That would turn Bearman’s already difficult qualifying result — 19th place — into an even tougher challenge.
For Haas, this would be an avoidable yet costly mistake, further complicating an already disastrous weekend. Now it’s up to the stewards to determine whether a penalty will be enforced.
Photo: MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
