In the wake of a high-speed crash involving Haas driver Oliver Bearman at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix, team principal Ayao Komatsu has urged Formula 1 authorities against making impulsive changes to the sport’s new regulations, despite growing safety concerns among drivers.

Bearman’s incident occurred at Suzuka when, traveling at over 190mph, he spun off the track and collided with the barriers after attempting to avoid Alpine’s Franco Colapinto. A significant 30mph speed differential between the two cars left Bearman with minimal reaction time—a stark illustration of issues emerging under F1’s 2026 technical rules, which allow cars to harvest energy at the end of straights, drastically altering their speed profiles.

The crash reignited debate about whether these performance variations compromise safety, with several drivers voicing concerns post-race. Williams’ Carlos Sainz called on the FIA to take proactive steps, stating that racing conditions need to be made safer to avoid similar incidents in the future.

In response, the FIA has confirmed it will hold technical meetings over the five-week break before the Miami Grand Prix to evaluate potential tweaks to the 2026 regulations. However, Komatsu emphasized the need for thoughtful, long-term solutions.

"We're looking at it from all dimensions because, when we make changes, we've got to make the correct ones. We cannot be making knee-jerk reaction changes and then a few races later be saying, 'that was the wrong option',"

Komatsu told Sky Sports News, highlighting the collaborative effort among teams, the FIA, and Formula 1 management.

Thankfully, Bearman escaped serious injury, walking away from the crash with only a bruised knee. The 20-year-old is expected to be fully fit for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 1–3 as part of the season’s second Sprint weekend.

"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,"

Komatsu said, expressing relief at the outcome.

Aside from the safety discussion, Haas has made a surprising start to the 2026 campaign, currently sitting fourth in the Constructors’ Championship after strong performances in Australia, China, and Japan. Bearman delivered points finishes of seventh and fifth, while team-mate Esteban Ocon scored his maiden point with a 10th-place finish in Japan.

Despite the promising results, Komatsu cautioned against setting unrealistic expectations.

"If somebody told me we were going to be P4 in the constructors' standings after three races, I would have laughed. This year is going to be a very tough development war, and as a small team, it's going to be very challenging." "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... and getting the best out of car, our team and our drivers."

Formula 1 returns with the Miami Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1, where attention will be closely focused not only on the racing but also on what regulatory steps may follow in response to the safety debate ignited at Suzuka.