Bearman and Gasly Reflect on Collision at United States Grand Prix

Ollie Bearman and Pierre Gasly have shared their thoughts on the collision they experienced during the United States Grand Prix, with Bearman asserting, "I don't regret going for the move," despite receiving a penalty for the incident.

The incident occurred as both drivers were vying for a spot in the top 10 at the Circuit of The Americas, just after a Virtual Safety Car period had ended. Bearman, having gained two places on the first lap, attempted an inside pass on Gasly at Turn 13, resulting in contact that seemed minor at first glance. However, Bearman's car sustained significant damage, leading to a 10-second penalty and ultimately forcing him to retire from the race.

"I went up his inside," Bearman explained. "He saw me and left some space, but it didn't feel like enough. By the time I was committed, I wasn't disappearing." The damage to Bearman's car was extensive, severely affecting his race pace. "I was losing a second a lap due to downforce loss," he said. Despite the setback, Bearman emphasized the necessity of taking risks: "If we don't do something special and get a bit lucky, we're not going to score points because we're not fast enough to do that on merit."

Gasly managed to finish in P10 but noted that the collision had also compromised his car's performance, hindering any chance of challenging Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson for P9. "After the contact with Ollie, we had quite a big damage on the floor," Gasly remarked. "It was a small touch, and I didn't expect the floor to be that damaged."

Reflecting on the move, Gasly found Bearman's attempt "a little optimistic," although not excessively so. "There was this touch which cost us and probably 5-10 seconds of race time following it. It wasn't ideal, but at the same time, he tried it. It just wasn't the cleanest move."

Both drivers continue to navigate the challenges of competing in a tightly contested midfield, with Bearman acknowledging the need for aggressive tactics as Haas strives to keep pace with teams like Alpine and Racing Bulls.