Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu warns Formula 1 not to ‘react hastily’ to Oliver Bearman’s crash. The British driver’s heavy accident at Suzuka was partly due to the large difference in speed between Bearman and Franco Colapinto, whom the Haas driver had to avoid, made possible by the new energy management. Komatsu calls for structural and well-thought-out changes after the incident: ‘So that we don’t say a few races later: “That was the wrong choice”.’
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It was a terrifying moment during the Japanese GP. Oliver Bearman hitting the barriers at Spoon with a 50G impact. The young Brit had to swerve for Franco Colapinto when he approached the Argentine at a higher speed. Colapinto was driving slower at that moment because he was charging his battery. Bearman, on the other hand, was using it for a speed boost.
Many drivers – including Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen – already warned that these types of incidents could happen under the new regulations. In the paddock, the call for regulatory changes from the FIA is louder than ever. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, however, warns against a ‘hasty reaction’ from the governing body.
“We are looking at it from all angles, because if we implement changes, they must be the right ones,” the Japanese team principal tells Sky Sports F1. “We cannot react hastily and then say a few races later: ‘That was the wrong choice’. The good thing is that the F1 community – all teams, the FIA, and F1 – are all working together in a very open and transparent way. That is something I haven’t seen to this extent before. I am confident that as an F1 community, we will find the right solution for everything we need to improve.”
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Small changes
According to Komatsu, small adjustments can already lead to major changes for Formula 1 under the new regulations. “We have already taken measures. A small step towards qualifying by reducing the amount of energy to be recovered. That was a good step,” the Japanese principal continues to the media. “I am sure that if we implement those, let’s say, relatively small improvements, we can drastically improve both the show and safety.”
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