Bearman’s rookie mistake costs him career-best grid position at British GP

SILVERSTONE, England (AP) – A rookie mistake ruined what could have been a breakthrough for Oliver Bearman.

The Haas newcomer was eighth fastest in qualifying at his home British Grand Prix on Saturday, which would have been a career-best grid position. But a 10-place penalty meant all his pace did was get him off the back row for Sunday’s race.

“The team has done a great job today, so it hurts,” Bearman said.

In practice earlier, the 20-year-old Bearman lost control and crashed into a barrier while coming into the pits after the third practice session was stopped because of a crash by Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto.

The race stewards ruled Bearman failed to comply with red flag rules when he “accelerated significantly to race pace” before coming into the pits.

The stewards said the British driver was trying to simulate coming into the pits in race conditions and was going faster under the red flag than on his previous entry to the pits.

Bearman said the crash happened because his brakes had gone cold under the red flag conditions.

“While this may have been a factor contributing to the crash, we do not consider it to be a mitigating factor,” the stewards ruled.

As well as the grid penalty, Bearman picked up four penalty points, giving him a total of eight. Reaching 12 penalty points means an automatic one-race suspension.