FIA urged to urgently change new 'dangerous' F1 rules or 'a driver could die'

More than 48 hours have passed since the Japanese Grand Prix, yet the heavy crash involving the Haas driver - triggered by a massive closing speed with Franco Colapinto’s Alpine, which found itself with a drained battery on the straight - continues to spark debate among fans and insiders alike.

“The FIA needs to take some blame for Ollie Bearman’s 190mph (around 305 km/h) crash at the Japanese Grand Prix. It was an accident waiting to happen since these new regulations came into play at the beginning of 2026,” Anderson wrote in a column for The Telegraph, taking aim at the governing body and its rules.

Anderson believes the current system, which allows cars on the same section of track to run at drastically different speeds, is inherently flawed and effectively sets the stage for avoidable accidents.

He is convinced that similar incidents will happen again, warning that if such a situation were to occur during intense overtaking moves into Turn 1, the outcome could resemble a major aviation disaster, with potentially fatal consequences.

He finally pointed out that when drivers make errors and go off track, they are typically aware of what is happening and can prepare for the impact - something that is far less predictable in scenarios created by these extreme speed differences.

After the race, the FIA released a statement explaining that any potential adjustments - particularly those linked to energy management - require thorough simulation and in-depth analysis.

The governing body added that it will continue working closely and constructively with all stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcome for the sport, with safety remaining at the heart of its mission.

Andrea Stella said the incident involving Bearman came as no surprise, given the extreme closing speeds created when one car is lifting or in a ‘super clip’ phase while others are still deploying energy - a scenario teams had already flagged during testing.

He added that the FIA is aware of the issue and has it on its agenda when it comes to refining the 2026 regulations, stressing that action should be taken proactively rather than waiting for further incidents.

Reflecting on the crash, Stella noted that Bearman was fortunate to escape with only minor bruising, but emphasised that the sport now has a clear responsibility to introduce the necessary measures - particularly from a safety standpoint.