Following Ollie Bearman's heavy 50G crash at the Japanese Grand Prix while avoiding Franco Colapinto, former F1 driver David Coulthard warned of the extreme risks posed by closing speeds in modern Formula 1, drawing on his own experiences and historical incidents.
In the aftermath of Haas driver Ollie Bearman's lap 22 crash at Suzuka's Spoon Curve—where he encountered a high closing speed while Colapinto harvested energy—David Coulthard shared his insights on the Up To Speed podcast. Bearman limped away with minor injuries after the impact, but Coulthard emphasized how fortunate he was to avoid a collision.
Coulthard recounted his own 1998/1999 near-miss with Fernando Alonso at the Nürburgring, where sudden braking forced him into the gravel. He called closing speeds the 'scariest aspect' of racing, citing Michael Schumacher's approach at Spa and Ayrton Senna in Australia as other examples.
On the 50G force, Coulthard referenced a late-1950s test surviving 80G and IndyCar's Kenny Bräck's career-ending 200G crash with fractures. He noted outcomes depend on G-force absorption and car movement; Bearman's sudden stop jarred his legs.
The incident has fueled regulatory scrutiny, with the FIA set to discuss 2026 energy management rules during an April break, including an F1 Commission meeting on April 9.
