Oliver Bearman injured in heavy Japanese Grand Prix smash

Oliver Bearman brought out the safety car following a heavy smash during the Japanese Grand Prix.

With the pit-stop phase underway at Suzuka, and the lead changing hands as the frontrunners took on fresh Pirelli tyres, Bearman attempted an overtake on Alpine's Franco Colapinto on the fast approach to the Spoon Curve on lap 22 of th3 57-lap race at Suzuka.

Haas driver Bearman, however, misjudged the manoeuvre as he first took to the grass, ploughed through the polystyrene brake marker boards, before hurtling back across the track and gravel, and eventually slamming sideways into a barrier.

It was a hard hit for Bearman, who extricated himself from his car but had to be helped by marshals due to a clear injury to his right ankle as he was seen heavily limping and unable to place his foot on the ground. 

Explaining the incident, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said: "He had huge closing speed on the car in front, so he had to take avoiding action by going on the grass and crashed. Scary!"

The incident naturally brought out the safety car, at which point Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli was leading from McLaren's Oscar Piastri and the second W17 of George Russell. Racing resumed on lap 28.