Oliver Bearman was visibly distressed after a high-speed collision at the Japanese Grand Prix. Following the incident where he lost control of his Formula 1 car and hit a barrier, Bearman urgently signaled for marshals’ assistance from inside his cockpit.
Once extracted from the Haas car, Bearman needed help to walk, showing signs of significant pain. He was limping and eventually collapsed behind the barrier, holding his right lower leg and ankle, prompting the dispatch of the medical car.
Bearman was swiftly taken to the circuit medical center for further evaluation. A Haas representative later confirmed that X-rays revealed no fractures, only a bruise on his right knee. The race faced a delay as the damaged Haas car was retrieved and barrier repairs were carried out.
The Japanese Grand Prix resumed on lap 28, with Kimi Antonelli leading the restart. Antonelli maintained his lead as Oscar Piastri trailed behind. Lewis Hamilton’s strong performance saw him overtake George Russell into third place, creating intense competition within the race.
Russell expressed frustration over his misfortune, having pitted just before the safety car period. In contrast, Antonelli benefitted from the safety car timing, regaining his lead after initially losing positions at the start.
Russell encountered further issues on lap 37, dropping down the order due to a deployment problem. Piastri held onto second place comfortably ahead of Hamilton, while Lando Norris and Max Verstappen faced challenges advancing in the race.
Verstappen struggled to overtake Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, highlighting the difficulties faced by the Red Bull driver during the Grand Prix.