Formula 1 could undergo changes following the heavy crash involving Oliver Bearman at the Japanese GP. Carlos Sainz has called for the FIA and teams to listen to the drivers ahead of a meeting already scheduled for April.
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The Spaniard, who also serves as a director of the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Association), argued that driver feedback should be considered to improve on-track battles. According to him, the current racing dynamics can create dangerous situations, especially with large speed differentials between cars.
Bearman suffered a heavy crash last Sunday at Suzuka after having to avoid Franco Colapinto’s Alpine, which was much slower due to energy recovery, going onto the grass before hitting the barrier hard at the Spoon curve. The accident raised concerns among drivers, who began discussing the need for adjustments to the current rules.
Sainz highlighted that the teams’ view does not always reflect what happens inside the car: “That’s the problem when you only listen to the teams. They might think the racing is good because they’re having fun watching on TV, but from a driver’s point of view, when you realize there can be a 50 km/h difference, that’s not racing,” he said.
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The Spaniard also warned of the risk of more accidents in situations like this: “There is no category in the world with this type of closing speed. That’s when big accidents can happen, because you’re caught by surprise, you defend late, you touch the car in front,” he stated.
A first meeting to discuss the topic is scheduled for April 9th. Sainz hopes this meeting results in practical measures for the upcoming races, with an initial focus on the Miami GP: “I hope they listen to us and focus on the feedback we give, instead of just listening to the teams. Let them create a plan for Miami that improves the situation and also a plan for the future of these rules,” he added.
Sainz also acknowledged that immediate changes might be limited, but advocated for gradual evolution: “Even if it’s not possible to improve everything for Miami, take a big step there and another big step later, maybe next year,” the Spanish driver concluded.
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