In the final-lap showdown at the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, Ollie Bearman was flagged and subsequently penalised for a defensive move against Lance Stroll. This new sanction puts the #87 driver at 10 penalty points in total. The Stewards ruled that he made more than one change of direction while defending. Set to go into the 2026 season with 10/12 penalty points to his license, the Briton faces a race ban should he acquire two more.
The F1 Abu Dhabi GP was every driver’s last chance at glory before the winter break. In a season full of surprises and incredible comebacks, Ollie Bearman finished P13 with a total of 41 points. His results had him slotting ahead of his teammate, Esteban Ocon. While he is not a stranger to penalties, his rookie season showed growth and adaptability from the Briton.
The Stewards’ ruling for Turn 9
Caught up in multiple on-track battles during the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, Ollie Bearman’s final fight against Stroll ended up earning him a penalty. This decision came as a result of a breach of Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2 b) of the International Sporting Code.
According to the Stewards, the Briton’s defensive moves against Lance Stroll on the straight before Turn 9 went against the regulations. Bearman received a 5-second time penalty, which dropped him in the final timesheet, as well as another penalty point.
When the Haas rookie responded to questions about this decision in the print media pen, he took a defensive stance against it. Voicing his annoyance with the penalty, Bearman explained his position:
“More than one change of direction is the ruling. I didn’t know I was not allowed to break the tow anymore. So that’s strange, not sure why I was penalised.
“I mean, of course, I was moving to defend my position. But I moved to break the tow, which is one separate thing. And then I defended my position, I left Lance [Stroll] a space. So, I don’t know. Some of these rulings, we need to understand why they were made, because I don’t know.”
What this means for the Haas driver
The Stroll incident at the F1 Abu Dhabi GP left Ollie Bearman closer than ever to a race ban due to the penalty points limit. The Brit holds 10/12 penalty points already. One more mistake before the Canadian GP, when some of those points are set to expire, could mean he will be forced to sit out a race.
Furthermore, clearly frustrated by the decision, Bearman finished his statements by adding:
“It was into Turn 9. I need to look myself. I’m miffed as much as you are.”
Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll were some more victims of this “moving in more than one direction” sanction. Heading into 2026 with new regulations, this type of penalty will surely spark discussions over the fairness in the case of racing hard.
