Lewis Hamilton joins Carlos Sainz in calling for more driver input on potential changes to the regulations. Since the start of the new F1 season, warnings have been heard from the driver field about the potential dangers of the new rules, and energy management in particular. Oliver Bearman’s heavy crash during the recent Japanese GP confirmed those concerns.
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Bearman suddenly had to swerve for Franco Colapinto at Suzuka. Not because the Argentine slammed on the brakes, but simply because he had used up his battery power. Due to the speed difference, Bearman had to steer his Haas car onto the grass, after which he hit the guardrail with an impact of no less than 50G. Drivers had been warning about the dangers of speed differences for some time.
‘We have no power’
According to Lewis Hamilton, the FIA could have intervened sooner if drivers had had more input in drafting the regulations. He joined colleague and GPDA co-chairman Carlos Sainz, who previously stated that these problems arise ‘when you only listen to the teams’. “The drivers have nothing to say,” Hamilton said in Japan. “We have no power. We are not on the committee; we have no voting rights.”
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The FIA has since released a statement following Bearman’s crash. The organization has scheduled several meetings in April to ‘assess the functioning of the new rules’. The drivers will also be involved in these discussions. “The FIA will continue to work closely and constructively with all stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcome for the sport,” the statement read. “Safety will always remain a core part of our mission.”
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