Oliver Bearman ripped into Yuki Tsunoda after the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, criticising the Red Bull star for using “unfair” tactics in wheel-to-wheel combat. The Haas driver made it clear that he had no plans to speak to his under-fire rival after their near-miss in Austin.
Bearman was fighting Tsunoda for seventh place after the first round of pit stops at the Circuit of the Americas, and after seeing a gap open up, the Brit dived down the inside at Turn 15.
In an attempt to cover off the Haas racer, Tsunoda slammed the door shut, taking an extremely narrow line into the turn, all while jinking to the left at the last moment. From there, Bearman was forced to take to the inside grass to avoid a heavy collision, and his VF-25 machine was sent into a spin that cost him another place to Nico Hulkenberg.
“For me what he did was unfair,” Bearman told Sky Sports F1 after the chequered flag. “I felt what he did was against the rules and against the spirit of the regulations, and what we race to. It was two laps on track where I was fighting with him and I clearly had more pace at that stage.
“Every time I was looking at the move on the inside into 12, on the inside of 13 and inside of 15, he was moving in reaction. Moving in reaction is something that we can’t do at these speeds in this car.
“It’s dangerous and when I went for the move on the inside on that occasion, he saw me do that and reacted to my move. By the time I am committed to braking, I can’t disappear. Honestly, we’re very lucky to have avoided a big, big crash. Just very disappointed as it meant we finished P9 today.”
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Asked if he would speak to the Red Bull driver, Bearman made a brutal dig. “No,” he replied. “I don’t think it’s the first time he’s done something like that and it’s not going to be the last time. Clearly with the way he’s driving.
“We saw it in quali yesterday, complaining. He’s trying really hard and it’s not working. Twice in Turn One, he divebombed on Lap One, taking incredible risks. I don’t think it’s worth even trying to make him understand my view.”
Tsunoda wasn’t entertaining the Brit’s complaints, though. “That’s racing, right?” he told Sky Sports F1 when asked about Bearman’s comments. “I feel I was in control. I didn’t have any lock ups. I was literally side by side there. I am not his teammate. I am just fighting for being in the top 10, top 10 or more. I thought it was OK.”
