The Japanese Grand Prix provoked fresh criticism of Formula 1’s new regulations, this time on safety grounds.
Oliver Bearman’s high-speed crash at the Spoon curve, which occured after Franco Colapinto slowed in front of him, alarmed several drivers. Carlos Sainz Jnr urged the FIA to introduce changes ahead of the next round to prevent similar situations repeating.
But while some drivers are concerned the difference in closing speeds could lead to dangerous situations, others pointed out the rules have created more opportunities for changes of position. Mercedes and Ferrari’s team principals are very satisfied with the racing produced by the new rules.
“I think overall it’s good for the F1, good for the championship, good for everybody,” said Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur. “I think it was a good show with a lot of overtaking, much more than in the past in Suzuka and I think this is good in general.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc moved up from fourth place on the grid to finish third. He admitted the difference in speed could create safety hazards but said he enjoyed his race.
“With these cars, surely we need to race differently and there’s no doubt about that. One of the points actually was moving or changing direction whenever you are ‘super-clipping’, and that’s what creates some quite dangerous scenarios.
“Whether we need to change absolutely everything for the race, I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m the only one – speaking with other drivers it might be half-half – but I actually enjoy these cars for the racing bit.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes fans should embrace the changes to how F1 cars race. “We had an exciting race today with plenty of overtaking which hasn’t always been the case here at Suzuka,” he said.
“It’s a new way of racing where you have to think strategically in order to both pass and then make sure it sticks. It’s a great challenge for both the drivers and the teams and it makes the race very unpredictable.”
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories – and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
2026 Japanese Grand Prix
Browse all 2026 Japanese Grand Prix articles
