Jacques Villeneuve was quite critical of Franco Colapinto regarding the accident with Oliver Bearman at the Japanese GP. The 1997 Formula 1 champion said he did not understand how the Argentine escaped a penalty.
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During the race in Suzuka, the Haas driver suffered a 50G impact after being at high speed and finding the Alpine opponent in front of him much slower. It was clear that both were using two very different energy modes.
As a result, Bearman went through the grass and subsequently hit the wall violently. Despite the incident, the stewards cleared Colapinto of a penalty, which Villeneuve said he did not understand the reason for.
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“I was surprised that nothing was done to Colapinto, because that is exactly what we don’t want to see. A small maneuver right at the entry of the corner, in such a dangerous corner where he is recovering energy,” he said.
“I think we have now seen the danger of this new regulation; the speed difference in some maneuvers can be very dangerous. There was nothing Oliver could do. And I don’t understand what Colapinto was thinking, driving so slowly in such a dangerous place,” he continued.
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