Oliver Bearman is set to return ‘fully ready’ for the Miami Grand Prix after escaping harrowing 50G crash in Japan as Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu warns against ‘knee-jerk reaction‘ changes to 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
The dramatic shunt which happened at Suzuka’s infamous Spoon Curve saw Bearman limp away from a heavily damaged VF‑26 sparking concerns over his medical condition as questions mount over the safety standards of the current F1 cars.
The sequence of events leading into the crash traces back to Haas’s strategy call and the way Bearman’s closing speed on Alpine’s Franco Colapinto caught the Briton off guard.
After starting from 18th on the grid and making an earlier pitstop than most rivals, Bearman had better pace and was preparing his attack on Colapinto which came after the hairpin on Lap 21.
Data indicates that Bearman was around 45km/h faster coming into Spoon but Colapinto abruptly stopped accelerating, forcing the Haas driver to take evasive action to the grass on the outside which caused him to lose control of the car.
The VF‑26 snapped into a spin and slammed into the barriers at approximately 308km/h with the side‑impact registered at 50G.
Fortunately, Bearman emerged from the cockpit under his own power, albeit with a visible limp, triggering a wave of relief through the paddock.
After being assisted by marshals out of the stricken car, the driver was taken to the circuit’s medical centre where he underwent an X‑ray and a series of standard trauma assessments.
Haas confirmed that the 20‑year‑old only sustained a contusion to his right knee, with no fractures or serious internal injuries detected.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu has now confirmed to media that Bearman will be back to full fitness for the Miami Grand Prix as F1 takes a month’s break following the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia rounds.
“He is fine,” Komatsu told Sky Sports News. “Thankfully, he’s just got a bruised knee, nothing’s broken.
“I’m really grateful that he came away with nothing too serious. He should be back fully ready for Miami.”
At the same time, Komatsu used the episode to feed into the broader call for changes to 2026 Formula 1 regulations, arguing that the FIA and FOM should adopt a measured, data‑driven approach rather than reacting emotionally to high‑profile crashes.
“We’re looking at it from all dimensions because, when we make changes, we’ve got to make the correct ones,” Komatsu explained. “We cannot be making knee-jerk reaction changes, and then a few races later be saying, ‘that was the wrong option’.”
“The good thing is that the F1 community, all the teams, the FIA, F1, we’re all working together in a really open and transparent manner, which I don’t think I’ve seen to this extent before.
“I’m pretty confident that F1, as a community, we’ll find the right solution to whatever things we need to improve.”
Haas enjoys a strong start to 2026
Despite Oliver Bearman 50G Suzuka crash, Komatsu couldn’t hide his excitement over Haas’ strong start to the 2026 season.
Bearman has single-handedly dragged the squad into solid points‑scoring positions in Australia and China, lifting Haas to fourth in the F1 constructors’ standings.
“If somebody told me we were going to be P4 in the constructors’ standings after three races, I would have laughed,” Komatsu added. “We are in a very good position, but it’s not about protecting that position, it’s not about really keeping that position, it’s about maximising our capability.
“This year is going to be a very tough development war and as a small team it’s going to be very challenging. But we’ve started this year very well. This kind of result doesn’t come along every single year.”
READ MORE:
2026 F1 Championship Standings after Japan: Antonelli becomes youngest title leader
FIA makes F1 qualifying rule change after energy-harvesting concerns
