Oliver Bearman was visibly distressed after a high-speed collision during the Japanese Grand Prix. The British racer urgently signaled for assistance from the marshals after losing control of his Formula 1 car and crashing into a barrier.
Two marshals helped Bearman walk after he was removed from the Haas vehicle, showing signs of significant pain. He limped noticeably and later collapsed behind the barrier, clutching his right lower leg and ankle, leading to the dispatch of the medical car for aid.
Bearman was swiftly taken to the circuit medical center for further evaluation. A Haas representative later confirmed that X-rays showed no fractures, only a bruise on his right knee.
The incident caused a delay in the Grand Prix as the damaged Haas car had to be recovered, and repairs were needed on the barrier it struck.
Racing resumed on lap 28 with Kimi Antonelli leading the restart, benefiting from the safety car timing as he had not yet pitted. His teammate George Russell had just made a pit stop for new tires.
Antonelli maintained his lead comfortably after the restart, with Oscar Piastri in second place behind him, although the McLaren driver began to lose pace.
Antonelli received a significant boost in his pursuit of victory from Lewis Hamilton, who overtook Russell to claim third place and put pressure on his former Mercedes teammate.
Meanwhile, Russell expressed frustration over his misfortune after pitting moments before the safety car emerged. In contrast, Antonelli’s timing proved advantageous after a poor start from pole position.
Russell faced further setbacks on lap 37 due to what seemed to be a deployment issue, causing him to drop down the order with Charles Leclerc overtaking him in the second Ferrari.
Piastri held onto second place ahead of Hamilton, steadily losing ground to race leader Antonelli, while Lando Norris and Max Verstappen struggled to make progress in sixth and eighth positions, respectively.
Verstappen found it challenging to overtake Gasly’s Alpine car despite being directly behind him, highlighting the difficulties faced by the Red Bull driver.
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