Oliver Bearman explains major dilemma as risk of F1 ban looms

Oliver Bearman says he does not "have a choice" but to back out of wheel-to-wheel battles like the one with Carlos Sainz which has moved him to the cusp of an F1 race ban.

Bearman was penalised at the Italian GP, earning two penalty points, moving him to 10 for the 12-month period, with his next set of two not due to be removed until November 2nd, following the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Since the superlicence system was introduced, only Kevin Magnussen has been banned, incidentally being replaced by Bearman at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP after an incident at Monza's second chicane.

The Haas driver was on the inside of the second chicane when Sainz made contact, resulting in the penalty. Bearman has now explained why he felt "hard done by", further confirming he cannot run the "risk" of a similar incident triggering a ban. 

"Yeah, I don't have a choice," Bearman told media, including RacingNews365, when asked if he would back out of a similar move in Baku. 

"I mean, I would hope I get given space on the inside, but clearly, there is a possibility that won't happen, so I can't take that risk. 

"Of course, it is a shame I've ended up at this point, but I earned some for a good reason. I made a dangerous mistake at Silverstone, which I got four penalty points for, but I got two from Monza, two for Monaco, with the red flag, but I felt like I did my best to avoid a dangerous situation there.

"So it is a shame that I've ended up with this many, but I deserved the four I earned at Silverstone, and took it on the chin and learned, but now I am going to be [trying] to make it to Brazil when I lose two.

"The rules are the rules, and maybe it is tough to take that penalty because from my side, at no point was I out of control, I just didn't get left any space, that's what the rules state, so I do feel a little hard done by.

"Now, I guess if I am on the outside, I'll just go for it, and it is my fault for getting the penalty regardless of if we agree with the rules or not, but it is tough to take, and it is not how any of us have grown up racing.

"I had every intention to fight for the move, and in that split second where you brake and see how fast you are entering the corner in respect to your competitor, you don't think about the three-page guideline they sent you in January. 

"It is not possible, so you race to the corner like how you've been brought up doing, and in my situation, I expected a bit more space."