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The fallout from the Japanese Grand Prix continues to reverberate through the paddock, with Haas driver Ollie Bearman publicly criticizing Alpine’s Franco Colapinto for his role in a terrifying 50G crash at Suzuka. The incident, which occurred as the pair approached turn 13, left Bearman sidelined and questioning the conduct of his fellow competitors.
The collision was triggered by a massive disparity in closing speeds. Colapinto was in the process of recharging his battery, while Bearman was deploying his, resulting in a significant speed delta. As Bearman approached, Colapinto moved to the left, forcing the Haas driver to take evasive action onto the grass. The resulting loss of control sent Bearman spinning violently into the barriers.
Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, a visibly frustrated Bearman—who was seen on crutches following the accident—did not mince words regarding the maneuver.
“Franco moved across in front of me to defend his position,” Bearman explained. “Last year would have been absolutely on the limit but probably OK with just a 5 or 10 kph speed delta. But with 50 kph, he did not leave me enough space and I had to avoid a much bigger crash.”
Bearman emphasized that the danger was compounded by the high-speed nature of the current regulations. “Basically, when he moved left, it was small, but at that speed difference, any move is huge. So I was lucky to not hit him. It would have been much, much worse if I did.”
The Briton expressed particular disappointment given that the drivers had explicitly discussed the risks of high speed deltas during a briefing just days prior. “We said between all the drivers, come on, we need to give each other a bit more respect. Move to defend your position with a bit more time because the speed deltas are much higher than we’ve ever had in our sport and then two days later that happens which for me was unacceptable. So, we need to figure things out between drivers, have a bit more respect between drivers because I was really not happy with the action that he did.”
Colapinto has maintained that he did not see Bearman until the Haas driver was already on the grass.
While Bearman escaped the incident without fractures, the severity of the 50G impact has served as a stark wake-up call regarding the 2026 technical regulations. The management of battery deployment and harvesting has created a volatile environment on track, a concern previously raised by George Russell.
The incident has sparked widespread debate, with commentator Martin Brundle suggesting that driver safety has been relegated to a secondary priority under the current rules. The pressure on the FIA and Formula 1 leadership is mounting, with teams demanding immediate rule changes ahead of the upcoming race in Miami.
In response to the growing outcry, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has shifted his stance. While he initially suggested that no regulatory adjustments were necessary until the Hungarian Grand Prix, he is now reportedly set to implement tweaks to the regulations before the sport returns to action in May.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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