In the midst of the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, a heated moment unfolded when untelevised team radio footage revealed Alex Albon’s accusation against rookie driver Oliver Bearman of dangerous driving.
During the race, Bearman managed to secure the final point for tenth position, continuing his streak of impressive performances early in the F1 2025 season. This race in Bahrain marked his third consecutive points finish, following strong results in China and Japan. Bearman faced a tough challenge, having to fend off both Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Albon, who finished within striking distance in 11th and 12th places, respectively.
The tension escalated when Albon, frustrated by Bearman’s defensive tactics, remarked over the team radio, ‘The way he defends, Bearman, is too much.’ His race engineer, James Urwin, simply acknowledged the complaint, indicating awareness of the situation. As the race progressed, Albon made several attempts to overtake Bearman, only to be consistently blocked by the aggressive positioning of the Haas rookie.
One of the key incidents occurred as Albon, leveraging DRS, closed in on Bearman at high speed. On the approach to Turn 4, Albon tried to make an overtaking move down the inside, but Bearman’s late shift forced Albon partially off the track. This prompted Albon to exclaim, ‘I think this guy wants to kill me. He’s so dangerous!’ urging his engineer to escalate the matter to the FIA race director. Albon’s pleas were met with assurances from Urwin that the issue was being addressed.
Despite the tense exchanges, Bearman later commented on the race, describing the battle for points as intense and reminiscent of his experiences in junior categories. He expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, ‘It was a proper race out there… I was so happy to take home a points finish from today.’
As the dust settled, Albon’s race concluded without adding points to his tally, marking his first scoreless event of the 2025 season. Meanwhile, Bearman’s assertive driving and determination paid off, further establishing him as a formidable competitor on the grid.
The untelevised tension between Albon and Bearman offered a glimpse into the complex dynamics of F1 competition, underscoring the relentless pursuit for every point on the track.
