Aston Martin Racing driver Fernando Alonso warned F1 about a severe crash waiting to happen before the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Moments later in the race, Alonso’s words came true as Haas F1 team’s Ollie Bearman spun out and crashed violently into the barriers with a force of 50G.
Was it a prophecy, or was it the F1 veteran’s extensive premier class experience doing the talking? Alonso warned F1, saying that having a superior battery could either lead to crashing into the car in front or performing an evasive maneuver to make it seem like an overtake during the race.
Alonso’s words were aimed at F1’s new regulations that kicked in this year, where batteries produce 50% of the car’s power. Drivers with more battery power may deploy it during the race to pass the car in front.
However, the sudden boost in power as a result of a significantly charged battery could prove dangerous if the car in front is low on battery power and slows down to harvest energy. This happened between Bearman and Alpine driver Franco Colapinto at Suzuka.
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Lap 23 saw Bearman close in on Colapinto on Turn 11 for an overtake. However, at the exit of the turn, Colapinto’s A526 F1 car started harvesting after it ran out of battery. Bearman, on the other hand, had more battery power available in his VF-26 and was deploying it to pass Colapinto.
Fernando Alonso’s Warning Plays Out in Real Time
This led to a significant speed difference between the two cars, leading Bearman to make an emergency maneuver by swerving abruptly to avoid crashing into Colapinto. The Haas then went over the grass, hitting the brake markers before spinning out and crashing into the barriers at high speed.
Alonso’s warning played out in real time, raising significant questions about driver safety. Speaking to DAZN ahead of the race, he had said:
“Overtaking these days is accidental. Suddenly you find yourself with a higher battery than the car in front, and you either crash into them, or you overtake them. It’s a evasive maneuver, not an overtake.”
MotorBiscuit reported on Bearman’s crash, which brought out the safety car. The live telecast showed the 20-year-old driver limping away from his car. The massive 50G impact meant he was taken to the Suzuka medical center for a health evaluation.
Haas later verified that the X-rays showed absolutely zero fractures to his lower body, and it was only a contusion to his right knee that caused him to limp.
