As a result of the contact, the right of Bearman’s Haas sustained significant damage, with both the front and rear wheels being primarily held to the chassis by the tethers.
Repair work was further complicated by the need to change both the gearbox and power unit, with both sustaining damage. It is currently unclear which components, if any, will be returned to the pool for use later in the season.
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Asked if the lost track time would continue to hurt him across the weekend, Bearman added: “It’s not over. I struggled a little bit, but I really felt confident in the car – maybe too much. I really felt at home and nice in the car. It was building up really nicely, and the mistake was unfortunate.
“It’s by no means over. FP3 is a long session and then into qualifying.”
With warmer temperatures predicted for Qualifying, but rain forecast for Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, Bearman had one eye on the possibility of a chaotic race, saying: “The race will be a bit of a roll of the dice it looks like at the moment.”
