Oliver Bearman criticizes Franco Colapinto after Suzuka: "I was lucky not to hit him"

The incident at Suzuka occurred within an unprecedented technical context, marked by the effects of the 2026 regulations, particularly those concerning energy management. Oliver Bearman arrived at the Spoon corner at full throttle, not needing to recharge his battery—this was not the case for Franco Colapinto, who was ahead of him. The Argentinian rider found himself slowing down, traveling at a speed 50 km/h lower than Bearman's. Haas who was behind him. To avoid him, Ollie Bearman swerved left, off the track, and without traction on the grass, he lost control of his car before crashing into a wall at the end of the straightaway.

Oliver Bearman describes an extreme situation. "This is the first time in history, or in my memory, that two cars fighting for the same position have such a speed difference," he pointed out. This is truly an unfortunate consequence of this regulation. With that 50 km/h difference, Franco positioned himself in front of me to defend his position. Last year, it would have been really close but probably acceptable, with just a 5 or 10 km/h difference. In this new context, every movement becomes critical. "When he veered to the left, it was slight, but with such a difference in speed, every movement is huge. I was lucky not to hit him; I must have avoided a much more serious accident." For the Haas driver, the situation therefore goes beyond a simple racing incident.

"He didn't give me enough space."

While the regulations are being criticized, Bearman insists above all on Colapinto's individual responsibility. "He didn't leave me enough room and I had to avoid a much, much bigger accident."He explained that he had to react quickly to avoid a head-on collision. The Briton didn't hide his frustration with a maneuver he considered too aggressive while the battery was charging. "When they shift to defend their position, it's dangerous." Despite the violence of the impact, Bearman is keen to put his condition into perspective: "I'm happy to be feeling well and in perfect shape for Miami." But fundamentally, the message is clear: this type of defense is no longer compatible with current conditions.

One of the most sensitive points in this affair lies in the drivers' briefing. The subject had been discussed before the weekend, which makes the incident even harder for Bearman to accept. “We talked about it on Friday, which makes the situation a bit more frustrating. All the drivers said to each other, ‘Come on, we need to respect each other a bit more, give each other a bit more time if we're traveling to defend a position.’ And it happened two days later, which is unacceptable to me.” Behind this statement lies the question of the Gentlemen's Agreement. To what extent should the new Grand Prix format encourage drivers to play fair when overtaking? "Between pilots, we need to understand that we must have a little more respect. I really wasn't happy with his maneuver."

Between pilot responsibility and necessary adjustments

Beyond the duel with Franco Colapinto, Oliver Bearman broadens the debate to the regulatory framework. "I also think there are adjustments to be made with the FIA. We worked very well together to try to avoid these big speed differences." The pilot emphasizes the scale of the problem: "Usually, 50 km/h is the difference between a car on a deceleration lap and one attacking." An anomaly that, according to him, cannot become the norm. He therefore calls for a phase of collective adaptation: "I don't think it's a solution; it's more of a band-aid for these differences. In theory, we shouldn't see these differences for the rest of the season. I hope we can improve on that."

Finally, the Briton went back over the accident itself and his immediate reaction. "I knew it was going to hurt when I lost control. I just thought about getting out of the car as fast as possible." His first instinct was to reassure his loved ones: "I wanted to get out quickly to show that I was okay, especially to my family who are always watching, because from the outside it looked like a major accident." He also highlights the robustness of modern single-seaters: "The cars are incredibly safe, which is a testament to the great work done by the FIA."

A reassuring observation, but one that doesn't erase the core issue raised by the Haas driver. The governing bodies of the Formula 1 The teams held several meetings during April, notably to determine if any changes to the regulations were necessary, and if so, what they would be. It remains to be seen whether any measures will be taken before the Miami Grand Prix, from May 1st to 3rd.

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