Australian GP: Bearman Crashes into Wall in First Practice Session

Ollie Bearman, 18, made a name for himself in F2 and as a luxury substitute in F1 last season. Ferrari urgently called him to replace Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia, then Haas entrusted him twice to take Kevin Magnussen’s place. A promising start to his career… but his first Grand Prix as a full-time driver is off to a bad start.

From the first free practice session in Australia, after just 37 minutes, the Briton lost control of his Haas at the exit of Turn 10, a fast and treacherous section. The result? A spin, a trip through the gravel, and an impact against the wall. The car is badly damaged, the right rear tire ripped off, and the second red flag of the session was deployed. Not the ideal start for a rookie looking to prove his worth.

“I just made a small mistake at turn 10, which put me a bit too wide, and at that spot it’s very, very bumpy and unfortunately, I lost control of the car,” explained Bearman after the incident. “I was really confident in the car, maybe too much. I felt comfortable. I was progressing very well, and the mistake was unfortunate.”

C’est l’image forte de la nuit: le gros crash de Bearman en FP1 💥

Le Britannique va bien mais n’a pas pu prendre part à la FP2…#AustralianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/10sX1rLI0W

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) March 14, 2025

Significant damage and an urgent repair

Bearman was 18th on the timesheet at the time of his crash, far from a dream start to the weekend. Upon his return to the pits, the damage assessment quickly confirmed the need for a complete change of the power unit and gearbox. As a precautionary measure, Haas replaced these essential components to avoid any mechanical risk during the race. A hefty bill and lost time.

This replacement required significant work from the mechanics. As the second free practice session (FP2) began, the team was still repairing Bearman’s car. The goal was to get the driver back on track before the end of the session to accumulate as many laps as possible in preparation for qualifying and the race.

“It’s a bit sad to have missed the entire session today. But the guys did an excellent job trying to get the car back on track. We simply ran out of time,” commented the young British driver.

This incident complicates the weekend preparation for Ollie Bearman. With reduced running, the British driver has less data on the behavior of his car and the grip of the track. As a young driver still in the learning phase, he needs every lap to improve his performance and adjust the settings.

The accident also has financial implications for the team. Each crash is costly, and at Haas, they aren’t exactly rolling in money. An accident like this, with such a damaged car, can impact the team’s budget, especially at the beginning of the season.

A series of weekends under pressure

The main challenge for Bearman is to get back on track and not let this crash affect his confidence in order to maximize track time before the qualifications. Once the car is repaired, he will need to quickly get back into his rhythm and adapt to the circuit conditions. However, the young driver remains confident about the rest of the weekend: “It’s certainly not over. Free practice 3 is long and then comes the qualifications. The race will be a bit of a gamble; that’s what seems to be shaping up at the moment.”

The Australian Grand Prix represents a new opportunity for him to prove his worth, and the Briton has already shown he has talent and composure. In F1, every detail counts and every mistake can be very costly. With reduced track time and a car rebuilt in a hurry, the challenge appears more complex than expected, but Bearman seems ready to take on this new challenge on this Australian circuit known for not forgiving any mistakes.