Already feeling “really, really bad” for saying “ciao” as he overtook rivals in Shanghai, Oliver Bearman has clarified it was never aimed at Carlos Sainz, that was the “strange” timing of FOM’s broadcast.

FOM’s broadcast of the drivers’ radio messages caused some ire at the Chinese Grand Prix when the Formula 1 broadcaster seemed to selectively play only some messages in the Lewis Hamilton versus Charles Leclerc battle.

Oliver Bearman says FOM ‘messed me around’

While Hamilton’s message offering to move over for Charles Leclerc was not aired, the Briton saying “when he’s closer” and Leclerc’s “this is a shame, the pace is there” were.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur called out FOM for trying to create drama.

“I think this is a joke from FOM because the first call came from Lewis,” he told the media in Shanghai.

“Lewis asked us to swap, but to make the show, to create the mess around the situation, they broadcast only the second part of the question. I will discuss with them.”

F1 responded to Vasseur’s complaint, a spokesperson saying: “There was absolutely no intention of presenting a misleading narrative regarding the Ferrari team radio.

“Due to other situations developing during the race the message from Lewis was not played but this was not intentional.”

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The Hamilton versus Leclerc messages weren’t the only ones that raised eyebrows on Sunday as Ferrari junior and Haas signing Bearman enthusiastically shouted “ciao” as he overtook his former stablemate Carlos Sainz.

However, the 19-year-old has cleared that up, revealing his “ciao” was never directed at the Williams driver, it was said for his switchback moves on Liam Lawson and one of the Alpines.

Saying FOM played the message at a “strange” time, Bearman told Channel 4: “I feel really, really bad for saying that.

“They messed me around, because I didn’t say that to Carlos. They played it at a strange time because I didn’t say that to Carlos.

“I said it to Lawson and the Alpine because I switched them back. And that’s always the most fun move, I’m sure you can agree, for a racing driver.

“I went to the outside, they went deep, so I got them on the exit, and that’s always cool.

“Yeah, just wanted to clear that one up. It wasn’t against Carlos.

“But yeah, I had a lot of fun with that, a lot of confidence on the brakes. I had a little lock up trying to overtake Stroll at one point. But then I learned from it, and after that, I was, was really enjoying it.”

He was again asked about his “ciao” when speaking with F1TV, who declared they were “loving the sass on the radio”.

“I feel really bad now,” he said with a chuckle.

Asked by his team-mate Esteban Ocon what he had said, he explained: “I overtook someone and I said, ‘ciao.’”

Ocon laughed: “Oh no!”

Bearmn added: “We had two switchbacks in the Turn 14. It was with one of the Red Bulls and Alpine. So I was happy with those overtakes.”

Haas brought home a double points haul in China with Ocon elevated to fifth place and Bearman P8 after the disqualification of the Ferrari team-mates for technical infringements. Pierre Gasly was also marked DSQ.

Bearman says while the result was a welcome surprise, Haas are not getting carried away as the VF-25 is not a car that likes bumps and Shanghai therefore suited the car.

“Melbourne was quite a surprise for all of us. I think this weekend was an even bigger surprise, that we’re both in the points after what happened last week,” he explained.

“We’ve definitely learned a bit more about the car, and we’ve really turned it upside down since Australia.

“But I’m not gonna get ahead of myself. I’m not sure this is gonna be the way for the rest of the year.

“This is definitely a track that suits us, there’s no bumps here, very flat, not much high-speed corners, so it’s a type of track that we like.

“The bumps aren’t really kind to us at the moment, but we’ll work on it, and we’ve got a few things planned along the way to get us there.”

Haas was P6 in the Constructors’ Championship after two races.

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