Oliver Bearman faces the possibility of a ban going into his second full season in Formula 1 with the Haas F1 Team.
After an impressive rookie campaign, the British driver would not have expected to begin 2026 with the threat of a one-race suspension hanging over him.
Across last season, Bearman accumulated 10 penalty points on his FIA super licence, with 12 triggering an automatic race ban.
His first two points came at the Monaco Grand Prix, when the stewards penalised him for overtaking under red flag conditions during second practice.
The FIA then handed him a hefty four points at the British Grand Prix after a dramatic pit lane crash during FP3 at Silverstone.
At the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Bearman collected two further points for colliding with Williams driver Carlos Sainz Jr..
His final two points were accumulated at the later stages of the season, with a point at Interlagos for driving in a dangerous manner and at the season’s close at Abu Dhabi for making more than one change of direction.
Bearman himself benefited from the rule in 2024, stepping in for Kevin Magnussen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the Dane reached 12 penalty points and triggered an automatic one-race suspension.
Any suspension would likely hand an opportunity to Haas reserve Jack Doohan, who joined the team ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Under the FIA rules, when a driver receives penalty points, they will stay with them for a 12 month period before they expire.
Crucially, Bearman must wait until May 23rd for the first of his two points to be lifted. As a result, he will have to navigate the opening six races of the season without collecting more than two additional points.
With expectations rising after a strong debut season, any suspension would represent a significant early setback for both Bearman and Haas.
