Ollie Bearman: We warned the FIA about what could happen and unfortunately this is the result
F1 Drivers NewsSunday, 29 March 2026 at 15:17
Haas driver Ollie Bearman revealed that fellow Formula 1 drivers warned the FIA of the dangers posed by the complex and increasingly inappropriate 2026 power units, speaking to reporters after his high-speed crash during the Japanese Grand Prix exposed the scale of the problem.
Bearman driver limped away from a heavy 50G shunt at Suzuka's legendary Spoon curve during the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix, triggered by a dramatic closing speed caused by the new energy-driven power unit behaviour.
Speaking after the incident, Bearman confirmed he escaped injury but underlined how serious the situation felt: “First of all, everything is fine and I’m good. It was a scary moment out there, but everything is okay, which is the main thing.
"The adrenaline is wearing off a bit, so it’s going to be a long trip home, but I’m absolutely fine. The car is a bit worse for wear, and I can only apologise to the team because it’s a lot of work, but we have a month now to reset and come back strong in Miami.”
The incident occurred as Bearman closed rapidly on Franco Colapinto’s Alpine, with both cars operating in completely different energy phases under the new regulations.
“There was a massive overspeed, around 50kph, which is part of these new regulations that we have to get used to,” Bearman explained. “But I also felt like I wasn’t given much space, considering the huge excess speed I was carrying.”
With one car deploying full battery power and the other harvesting, the closing speed reached an estimated 45 to 50 kph, a scenario that has become increasingly common under the 50/50 hybrid rules.
Stewards and drivers spoke about such a scenario
First time then in these new regs we see the danger of insane diff of speed with one car deploying & another harvesting 😬
— Aarav (@_aarava) March 29, 2026
Hope Bearman is alright, & that limp is just a v sore ankle from high impact
pic.twitter.com/SDcPvyFSYY
Notably, this type of perilous incident was not unexpected when drivers gathered for the stewards meeting before the start of the weekend in Japan. Bearman revealed: “It’s something we spoke about with the other drivers and the stewards, that we need to be more lenient and better prepared because of these big delta speeds."
He then delivered the key warning: “We warned the FIA about what could happen, and unfortunately, this is the result of a massive speed difference that we haven’t seen in Formula 1 before under these new regulations.”
The crash unfolded as Bearman attempted to avoid the slower Alpine ahead, moving off line into Spoon before running out of road and losing control at high speed. The impact registered around 50G, underlining the severity of the incident.
The stewards opted not to investigate the incident, with Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu also pointing to the closing speed rather than driver error as the root cause.
Bearman was treated at the FIA medical centre and cleared with bruising to his right knee, avoiding serious injury in what could have been a far worse outcome.
The crash triggered a Safety Car and immediately reignited debate around the 2026 regulations, particularly the extreme differences in speed created by energy deployment and harvesting phases.
With multiple drivers now raising concerns, the FIA has already confirmed that the new rules will be formally reviewed in April.
Bearman’s warning now stands as a stark example of the risks involved, with the Suzuka incident highlighting exactly the kind of scenario drivers had feared before the season began.
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