Oliver Bearman looks back one more time at his heavy crash during the GP Japan ahead of the GP Miami. Before the race at Suzuka, it was already warned that the speed differences between cars under the new regulations could lead to such incidents, and the Haas driver is frustrated that he ultimately was the ‘guinea pig’. Right after Bearman’s crash, the FIA implemented rule changes: ‘The good thing is that the FIA is open to our ideas’.
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Oliver Bearman’s heavy crash in Japan caused quite a stir in the paddock. The Haas driver hit the barriers at Suzuka with an impact of 50G after having to avoid a slow-moving Franco Colapinto. The speed difference between the two drivers was because the Argentine was charging his battery at that moment.
Bearman tells the British Daily Mail that the immediate consequences of the crash were not too bad. “It’s not the end of the world, but it wasn’t a moment I had planned,” says the young driver. “I was already home on Monday. On Wednesday morning, I was in the simulator. When the adrenaline wore off, I felt some pain in my leg, but it was short-lived. If the canceled races had gone ahead, I could have just raced.”
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Drivers, including Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, had already warned that such incidents could occur under the new regulations. “The drivers have spoken with the FIA about these large speed differences that cause dangerous situations, and I wasn’t happy that I was the guinea pig,” Bearman admits. “The good thing is that the FIA is open to our ideas. I am confident that we will solve everything.” The governing body has since implemented rule changes ahead of the GP Miami to prevent similar incidents.
Ferrari dream
Besides recent events, Bearman also briefly talks about the future. The Haas driver hopes to eventually make it to Ferrari again. In 2024, Bearman made his F1 race debut for the Italians as a substitute for Carlos Sainz. “I feel ready for (a seat at Ferrari, ed.),” says the driver. “If I didn’t say that, it wouldn’t be worth going to the circuit. I am young and have many years ahead of me. I just want to give them a reason to choose me. The harder I go, the bigger my chances.”
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Read everything about the GP Miami here
