Colapinto Highlights 'Really Dangerous' Speed Gap in Bearman's Suzuka Crash

Alpine's Franco Colapinto described Oliver Bearman's high-speed crash at the Japanese Grand Prix as "really dangerous," attributing it to an extreme and sudden speed difference between their cars. The Haas driver, carrying an estimated 50 kph more speed, lost control on the grass while attempting to avoid Colapinto's slowing Alpine, resulting in a heavy 50G impact with the barrier.

Why it matters:

This incident underscores a growing safety concern in Formula 1's current era, where massive performance deltas—often caused by energy deployment differences—can create unpredictable and hazardous closing speeds, especially on curved sections of track. It raises questions about driver awareness and whether current systems adequately warn of such extreme differentials.

The details:

• The crash occurred on the long, curved right-hander leading into Spoon Curve at Suzuka. Onboard footage showed Colapinto's battery recharge light flashing as his car slowed.
• Colapinto estimated Bearman was traveling over 50 kph (30 mph) faster through the same corner, a difference he compared to his own near-miss at the start of the Australian Grand Prix.
• Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu clarified Colapinto was not at fault, explaining the Alpine had run out of battery power while the Haas was deploying its electrical energy, creating the drastic speed gap.
• Colapinto noted the particular danger arises on non-straight sections: "It gets really sketchy when the straights are not straight and it’s turning... Even spinning, he overtook me, so imagine the speed difference."
• The Alpine driver revealed he never used his overtake boost on that section all race, but Bearman's approach speed was about 45 kph quicker than on his previous lap, suggesting a strategic energy deployment.

What's next:

Colapinto hopes the sport will review how to mitigate these risks, emphasizing the difficulty for drivers to anticipate such extreme closing speeds. "There is no way of us knowing," he said, highlighting a gap in situational awareness. This crash will likely fuel discussions among teams and the FIA about potential solutions, whether through driver aids, regulations, or track design considerations, to manage the dangers posed by the vast performance variances inherent in the hybrid power units.