Oliver Bearman’s practice‑session crash at the Monaco Grand Prix left his Haas VF‑26 damaged and forced the rookie into a 19th‑place start after a Q1 elimination.
Crash details and car damage
During Free Practice 3 the young driver hit a dusty section before the Massenet corner, lost traction and slammed the right‑hand side of the car into the guardrail. Bearman described the incident as “the strangest crash” of his short Formula 1 career, noting that he was momentarily facing the wrong direction after picking up a light dust veil while avoiding a Mercedes car ahead.
Haas mechanics rebuilt the VF‑26 in time for qualifying, and the repaired chassis felt “great” to Bearman, according to his post‑session comments.
Qualifying setback
A red‑flag caused by Gabriel Bortoleto’s late‑Q1 crash halted Bearman’s flying lap. With only a warm‑up sector completed, he returned to the track on cold tyres—approximately 10 °C below optimal temperature—forcing him to slide through the swimming‑pool complex. He managed to improve his time by just 0.09 s, finishing 0.013 s shy of the Q2 cut‑off and 19th on the grid.
Bearman later explained that his lap before the yellow flag would have easily placed him in the top‑10, potentially securing a Q2 appearance, but the combination of a cold tyre set and reduced grip prevented the necessary gain.
Outlook for the weekend
Despite the disappointment, Bearman believes the team possesses the pace to challenge for a Q3 spot, emphasizing that qualifying performance is pivotal. The Haas crew’s swift repair work keeps the car competitive, leaving the rookie hopeful for a stronger showing in the race itself.
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