Villeneuve points the finger at Colapinto
1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has criticised the stewards’ decision not to penalise Franco Colapinto after Oliver Bearman’s frightening crash during the Japanese Grand Prix.
Bearman was launched into a heavy 50G impact with the barrier after being caught out by the closing speed while following Colapinto. The two cars were apparently in different energy modes, which meant Bearman arrived at the corner much faster than the Alpine driver ahead of him. In the kind of subtle racing detail that somehow becomes everyone’s problem at very high speed, Bearman also said he felt he had not been given enough room on the inside.
After running onto the grass, Bearman struck the barrier at high speed. He was taken to the circuit’s medical centre for precautionary checks and was later cleared without major injury.
The stewards decided not to issue a penalty, but Villeneuve made it clear he did not agree with that outcome.
“I was surprised that nothing was done to Colapinto, because this is what you don't want to see,” Villeneuve told F1.
“A little move just as you approach the corner, in such a dangerous corner where he's actually regenerating energy.
“I guess now we've seen the danger of this new regulation, the difference in speed differential with some movements can be so dangerous.
“There’s nothing Oliver could do. And I don't understand what Colapinto was thinking, moving at such a slow speed in such a dangerous place.”
Safety concerns return to the surface
The crash added more fuel to the discussion around the dangers drivers have been warning about early in the season. With the new power unit regulations, cars can lose a significant amount of speed while harvesting energy, creating large speed differences that can catch following drivers out.
To help with that, flashing red lights are fitted to the rear of the cars to warn anyone behind when harvesting is happening. In theory, a simple enough system. In practice, motorsport tends to make things immediately more complicated than that.
Race driver and broadcaster Alex Brundle, speaking alongside Villeneuve, said Bearman appeared to have been left without the warning he should have had.
“There are no recharge lights on,” he said.
“I’m led to believe that that would fall into where we would expect to see harvest lights on the rear of the car that flash at different rates to let the drivers know that's occurring.
“So either it's not fallen into those parameters, and I would dare to suggest it should, or they've had some sort of issue at Alpine.”
The incident has now put an awkward spotlight on both the rule set and the systems meant to make it safer, which is not exactly the image the sport tends to prefer after a crash like that.
