Colapinto Unhappy with Bearman's Suzuka Crash Blame

Franco Colapinto told GPblog he isn’t pleased with Ollie Bearman’s April comments that blamed the Argentine for the 50 g impact crash at Japan’s Suzuka circuit. The spat, aired on the Up To Speed podcast, brings driver‑to‑driver tension into the broader debate over the high closing speeds of the new 2026 cars.

Why it matters:

• Safety perception: driver statements shape how fans and sponsors view the risk level of modern F1 cars.
• On‑track trust: public blame can erode the cooperation needed for close racing, especially with energy‑harvesting zones.
• Regulation response: the FIA’s recent boost‑cap tweak shows the sport is already tweaking rules to curb extreme closing speeds.

The details:

• Crash description – Bearman (Alpine) closed on Colapinto’s Haas at ~50 km/h before Spoon Curve while the Argentine was harvesting energy.
• Bearman’s criticism – He called Colapinto’s move “unacceptable” and suggested aggression contributed to the incident.
• Colapinto’s reply – He says he messaged Bearman after the race, received no response, and stresses that Bearman walked away unharmed; he denies moving aggressively.
• FIA rule tweak – In April the governing body imposed a 150 kW boost cap and limited MGU‑K output to 250 kW in certain circuit sections to lower closing‑speed risks.

What's next:

• Driver dialogue – Both pilots and the drivers’ association may push for clearer guidelines on energy‑harvesting zones and overtaking etiquette.
• Safety monitoring – The FIA will analyse data from Suzuka and the recent Miami session to decide if further power‑unit restrictions are needed.
• Team impact – Haas acknowledges the chassis damage but treats it as part of racing; the focus will shift back to performance once the safety debate settles.