Carlos Sainz Pleas for F1 and FIA Change After Frightening Japanese GP Incident

Carlos Sainz has called for action from Formula 1 and governing body the FIA after Oliver Bearman's scary incident at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Haas driver Bearman hobbled away from his car after a high-speed collision with the barriers at Suzuka's Spoon Curve after skating across the grass on the inside of the left-hander.

The incident was caused by the excessive closing speeds between the VF-26 and Franco Colapinto's Alpine, with Bearman losing control at 308 km/h - some 50 km/h faster than the Argentine at the same point.

Sainz critical

Oliver Bearman, Haas, Carlos Sainz, Williams — Haas F1 Team

It means that there are further questions being raised over the suitability of F1's new-for-2026 regulations, especially on the power unit side as safety now comes under the microscope.

And Grand Prix Drivers' Association [GPDA] director Sainz is critical of the stance that the FIA has taken regarding the regulations.

It had been revealed in the run-up to the Suzuka weekend that a review process slated for April would focus on solving issues with qualifying, with the majority of key voices apparently happy with the racing shown in the first two rounds in Australia and China.

Speaking after the Japanese GP however, Sainz told Sky Sports UK: "I was so surprised when they said 'we will sort out qualifying and leave the racing alone because it's exciting'. As drivers, we have been extremely vocal that the problem is not only qualifying, but also racing.

"We have been warning this kind of accident will always happen. In Suzuka, we were lucky there was an escape road. Imagine going to Baku or Singapore, or Las Vegas and having these kind of closing speeds.

"As the GPDA, we have warned the FIA these accidents will happen a lot with this set of regulations and we need to change something soon if we don't want it to happen.

"I hope it serves as an example and the teams listen to the drivers and not so much to the teams and some people that said 'the racing is ok', because the racing is not ok."

The FIA released a statement in the aftermath of the race, insisting that safety remained a priority.

Great to see that Ollie is OK 👌 Hard work from the team and a great drive from Esteban results in another valuable point 🤝#HaasF1 #F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/xWZum6UZno
— TGR Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) March 29, 2026

FIA statement in full

“Following the accident involving Oliver Bearman at the Japanese Grand Prix and the contribution of high closing speeds in the accident, the FIA would like to provide the following clarifications.

"Since their introduction, the 2026 regulations have been the subject of ongoing discussions between the FIA, Teams, Power Unit Manufacturers, Drivers and FOM. By design, these regulations include a number of adjustable parameters, particularly in relation to energy management, which allow for optimisation based on real-world data.

"It has been the consistent position of all stakeholders that a structured review would take place after the opening phase of the season, to allow for sufficient data to be gathered and analysed. A number of meetings are therefore scheduled in April to assess the operation of the new regulations and to determine whether any refinements are required.

"Any potential adjustments, particularly those related to energy management, require careful simulation and detailed analysis. The FIA will continue to work in close and constructive collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcome for the sport and safety will always remain a core element of the FIA’s mission. At this stage, any speculation regarding the nature of potential changes would be premature. Further updates will be communicated in due course.”