Piastri urges FIA to act on safety after ‘close call’ and Bearman's crash

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has warned the FIA that the new 2026 Formula 1 cars are creating “pretty close call” situations on track, citing his own near‑collision with Nico Hulkenberg in practice and Oliver Bearman’s high‑speed crash at the Japanese Grand Prix. He says the soaring closing speeds, amplified by uneven power‑unit deployment, demand swift safety‑related rule tweaks before the next race in Miami.

Why it matters:

The 2026 regulations let some cars harvest energy while others are still deploying it, creating large speed differentials on the straights. When those differentials exceed 50‑60 km/h, drivers can be caught off‑guard, raising the likelihood of high‑impact incidents. A repeat of Bearman’s crash would endanger drivers, damage the sport’s credibility, and undermine F1’s sustainability agenda.

The details:

• Bearman's accident – At Spoon Curve, Oliver Bearman lost control after closing on Franco Colapinto, slid onto the grass and hit the barriers at a speed amplified by the 2026 car’s rapid closing capability.
• FIA response – The governing body confirmed that the heightened closing speeds contributed to the incident and scheduled a series of technical meetings this month to review safety‑related rule changes.
• Piastri’s practice incident – In FP3, Piastri was flagged for impeding Nico Hulkenberg on the approach to 130R after the Audi passed him three times faster than expected, prompting an official warning.
• Driver perspective – Piastri warned that “we’re learning” but “things like this are probably going to happen” if the FIA does not act quickly on safety grounds.
• Verstappen’s view – Four‑time champion Max Verstappen echoed the concern, calling such incidents “inevitable” under the current power‑unit balance.

What's next:

The FIA has lined up multiple meetings with teams, the Power Unit Association and drivers’ representatives to explore options such as tighter restrictions on energy harvesting, revised speed‑limit zones, and mandatory safety‑car deployment thresholds. The upcoming Miami Grand Prix will be the first test of any interim measures, and Piastri expects the sport to move “pretty quickly” to avoid another Bearman‑type scenario.