Oliver Bearman called his 10-second penalty for contact with Pierre Gasly "crazy" after a bold lap-two move in Austin ended both drivers' races prematurely. The Haas rookie dove inside Gasly at Turn 13, climbed the yellow kerb trying to avoid contact, but still clipped the Alpine's sidepod. Stewards handed down the penalty despite Bearman's protest that he'd earned the space and "couldn't disappear" once committed. The real damage came from the contact itself—Bearman's floor progressively disintegrated over the next 20 laps, forcing him to wave teammate Ocon through and retire on lap 24. Gasly limped home tenth but lost an estimated 10 downforce points, costing him a shot at Lawson ahead. For Bearman, it's another harsh lesson in a rookie season that's been equal parts promise and penalty. The American team will want cleaner race craft when the championship fight with Audi tightens.
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