During the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend, the Formula 1 world watched as Haas driver Oliver “Ollie” Bearman spun out and into the barriers in what was inarguably the biggest crash of the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Season thus far. While so much conversation has been buzzing about the new regulations, Bearman’s crash on the Suzuka Circuit is now a leading factor in teams speaking out against the regulation changes and calling out for something to be done to prioritize safety moving forward.
Here’s what to know about comments recently made by Haas team principal, Ayao Komatsu, about what may happen with the arguably disastrous new regulations in F1 following Ollie Bearman’s crash in Japan.
How Oliver Bearman’s Frightening Crash at the 2026 F1 Japanese Grand Prix Unfolded
GettyHaas F1 Team’s British driver Oliver Bearman crashes during the first practice session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 14, 2025. (Photo by Paul Crock / AFP via Getty Images) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE —
The safety issues sparking storylines this year revolve around the new power units each Formula 1 car is now equipped with in an attempt to achieve sustainability in the sport. The frightening crash at Suzuka was attributed to a dramatic speed differential between Bearman and Alpine F1 driver Franco Colapinto, whom he had tried to overtake moments before hitting the barriers.
While attempting to overtake his opponent, Bearman went into the high-speed Spoon Curve of the circuit with an exceptional speed advantage of approximately 30 mph, aka 50 km/hr, as a result of the new hybrid energy deployment systems in the cars this season. As Bearman approached Colapinto too quickly from behind, he was forced to take evasive action to avoid a rear-end collision at such high speeds.
When he drove onto the grass to avoid hitting Colapinto, Bearman’s speed was approximately 300 km/hr – aka just over 186 mph – and the Haas driver lost his grip on the steering just before violently slamming into the barriers at an impact of 50g, per Autoweek. Ollie miraculously escaped with only relatively minor injuries, but the shock could be felt across the paddock and through television screens by viewers watching from home.
Oliver Bearman’s Suzuka Crash is Attributed to the New Power Unit Deployment Systems in 2026 F1 Cars
GettySUZUKA, JAPAN – MARCH 27: Oliver Bearman of Great Britain driving the (87) Haas F1 VF-26 Ferrari on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka Circuit on March 27, 2026 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
At the heart of Bearman’s incident in Japan lies Formula 1’s new 2026 regulations which have significantly promoted the role of electrical energy use in F1 cars for an ultimate 50/50 split of combustion power usage and electrical power usage during races. The result, however, is a much more complex and variable energy deployment system which allows drivers to gain sudden bursts of speed depending on their battery usage thus far in a given race. This has led to “boost strategies” while also instigating extreme frustration amongst teams and drivers alike. Now, safety is coming into the conversation following the Haas driver’s collision on the Suzuka Circuit.
The dangerous aspect to the FIA’s new regulations for the 2026 F1 season is found in the inconsistent speeds between cars on the same part of the track – as seen with Bearman and Colapinto in Japan. Some drivers could be harvesting their energy and proceeding at slower speeds at the same part of the track where other drivers may be deploying their maximum power. The coupling of these two polar opposites is catastrophe just waiting to happen.
Haas Team Principal, Ayao Komatsu, Says More Data is Still Needed to Ascertain the Situation
GettyHaas F1 Team’s British driver Oliver Bearman (L) poses for a picture with a young F1 fan preparing for the March 29 Formula One Japanese Grand Prix race at the Suzuka circuit in Suzuka, Mie prefecture on March 26, 2026. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP via Getty Images)
While speaking to media outlets following the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, Ayao Komatsu addressed the need for at least five race weekends’ worth of data with the new regulations in order to make a sound judgement on whether or not they need to be changed. However, only two weeks later at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix Bearman’s crash into the barriers sparked new debate about the safety, sporting element, and structure sooner than five Grand Prix weekends into the race calendar.
In another press conference following the Japanese GP, the Haas team principal didn’t waver in his belief that at least five race weekends are required to have enough data sets to fully assess the situation with the new regulations and power units.
“We always said, like lots of things, even the starts as well, we said we have to see different conditions,” explained Komatsu. “And then, for instance, adjustments to be made on the starts, at the Bahrain test 2, I think that was very judged. You know, still have the difference in PUMS (power unit manufacturers), some people are good at the start, some people less so, etc. But so far, it’s been safe.”
“So, we really have to be careful about sporting versus safety,” continued Komatsu. “We shouldn’t be using safety as an excuse, but at the same time safety should be obviously paramount.”
The next F1 race weekend will be the 2026 F1 Miami Grand Prix on May 1-3, 2026.
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