Ollie Bearman had a busy weekend at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Starting with an unfortunate Practice session in F2, Ollie later bagged some quality time with the MoneyGram Haas F1 car and put in some flying laps in F2 Qualifying.
F1 Free Practice
After a terrifying crash in Formula 2 Practice, which ended the session with a red flag with just under eight minutes to go - Ollie escaped unscathed. Quickly putting it behind him, Ollie turned his focus to the first Free Practice session in Formula 1, with the MoneyGram Haas Formula 1 team.
Eager to make the most out of the first of six FP1 sessions scheduled for the 2024 season, Ollie did a fantastic job in the Haas during Free Practice, showcasing his growing maturity and skill behind the wheel.
Reflecting on his previous experiences with the Haas in Abu Dhabi and Mexico last season, Ollie said,
“The team is having a strong season and I’m hoping with the extra experience I have since our last time together, I will be able to help continue the run of form they’re in.”
Qualifying
Returning to Formula 2 for qualifying, Ollie had a fantastic start on a track local to his team. After putting on supersoft tyres, Ollie secured provisional pole with 12 minutes to go. However, Gabriel Bortoleto snatched it from Ollie in the final moments of the session. Reflecting on his performance, Ollie remarked,
“It’s tough to jump back and forth between the F1 and F2 cars. The cars are very different in the way you drive them and the way you approach the races, but I think I did a better job today.”
After securing second place for Sunday’s Feature Race, Ollie and his Prema teammate were just two of the drivers handed penalties after qualifying, pushing them both down the ranks and meaning they would both potentially start near the back of the grid.
As the twists and turns of the weekend continued, Ollie and his teammate then had their deleted lap times reinstated just hours after qualifying, returning Ollie to his second-place start on the grid.
Sprint Race
With the reverse grid meaning Ollie started the Sprint Race ninth on the grid, a dramatic start led to an immediate Safety Car - ending the race for five drivers before it had even begun.
Racing resumed on Lap 6 with Ollie now in fifth place. By Lap 9, he joined Zane Maloney and Gabriel Bortoleto in pressuring Amaury Cordeel for track position.
By Lap 12, Ollie himself came under pressure from Bortoleto and Barnard but Bearman managed to battle and maintain his position, finishing the Sprint Race in fifth place.
Feature Race
In Sunday’s Feature Race, Ollie got off to a flying start, taking the lead right off the mark, as polesitter Bortoleto had a poor getaway. Ollie battled to pull away from the pack but Isack Hadjar remained close, within DRS range by the end of Lap 4.
It was all looking good until the first round of pit stops spelt disaster for Ollie. Stalling twice as he pulled away from the Pits meant that Ollie slipped from first place to the back of the field. On a track notorious for its difficulty in overtaking, Ollie remained towards the back of the pack for the rest of the race, finishing in P19.
Looking Ahead
After a weekend of highs and lows for Ollie, we do not have to wait long to see him back in action. Be sure to join us as we head to Monte Carlo for the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, from 23-26 May.
