F1 star forced into shock retirement at Miami Grand Prix

Oliver Bearman at the Miami GP — Photo: © IMAGO

Miami Grand Prix

F1 star forced into shock retirement at Miami Grand Prix

Haas F1 star Ollie Bearman was the second retirement at the Miami GP

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 4 May 2025 22:58 Updated: 23:42

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The Miami Grand Prix has been interrupted by a virtual safety car after Ollie Bearman was forced to retire.

The 19-year-old began to slow on lap 29 of the 57-lap race with smoke bellowing out of his VF-25, with Sky F1 commentator David Croft noting: "He didn't lock up, this could be Ollie Bearman out of the race just cruising around."

As sparks flew out of Bearman's machinery, he took to team radio to say: "Oh my God, I lost everything," with the star becoming the second retirement of the race after Jack Doohan didn't make it past the opening lap.

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Bearman's race engineer quickly came back on the team radio to suggest a power unit issue was to blame for the mechanical issue.

Bearman out of Miami GP

F1 rookie Bearman had stopped his machinery at a tricky point on track, triggering a VSC, with the Sky Sports commentary team continuing to discuss the issue which ruled him out of the sixth round of his debut season.

Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle assessed what could have been the cause of Bearman's retirement, saying: "That did sound like a power unit as well didn't it because the spark's coming out the exhaust.

"He's lost hydraulics so you lose throttle, you lose power steering but that is actually gremlins in there big time."

The British racer's poorly placed Haas was perfectly timed for fellow countryman Lewis Hamilton as he arrived in the pits as the VSC was deployed, but Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc was not so lucky having just roared past the pits without stopping.

Shortly after Bearman's retirement fellow rookie Gabriel Bortoleto also retired from the race, stopping in the back straight with the drivers having to drive at 40 per cent of their racing speed while his Sauver was cleared off the track.

Sauber, who also happen to be a Ferrari customer team, also appeared to have been let down by his engine, taking to team radio despairing: "Mate, my engine is failing, I cannot drive like this."

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Red Bull Mercedes Miami Grand Prix Ollie Bearman Jack Doohan David Croft