Haas endured a turbulent but ultimately rewarding Japanese Grand Prix, marked by Esteban Ocon’s first point of the season and Oliver Bearman’s frightening high‑speed crash — a violent incident caused by an enormous closing speed that highlighted the challenges of Formula 1’s 2026 regulations.
The race began positively for the American team. Ocon made a superb launch, climbing into the top 10 and showing strong early pace. But the tone of the afternoon changed dramatically on lap 22 when Bearman, fighting Franco Colapinto for position, was forced onto the grass at high speed.
Carrying a 50kph overspeed, the Briton lost control and slammed into the barriers in a 50G‑level impact, destroying his car and triggering an immediate Safety Car.
Ocon: “Overall, it was a positive weekend… we got the maximum out of the car.”
Ocon’s race was shaped by the Safety Car, which cost him positions he had earned through a strong opening stint. Reflecting on the chaotic afternoon, he began with what mattered most. “First of all, I’m glad that Ollie is okay.”
But the Frenchman also acknowledged the frustration of repeated bad timing. “Unfortunately, though, it has been three out of three races where the Safety Car timing has been bad for us.”
He described the ebb and flow of his race: “We had a decent start and it was going okay, then we lost to Gabi and Liam. I managed to overtake Gabi on track, but with Liam it wasn’t possible.”
Ocon had hoped to join the thrilling battle unfolding ahead. “There was a nice fight between Max and Pierre ahead, so I would’ve liked to have been part of that, however, I got stuck behind Liam, so we’ll never know if I could’ve been a part of it or not.”
Despite the setbacks, he was satisfied with the team’s execution. “Overall, it was a positive weekend on our side and we got the maximum out of the car in every situation. It could’ve been a few positions better, but we can’t control everything.”
Bearman: “It was a scary moment… but everything is okay.”
After being released from the Medical Centre with only bruising, Bearman spoke candidly about the crash that stunned the paddock.
“First of all, everything is fine and I’m good. It was a scary moment out there, but everything is okay, which is the main thing.”
The adrenaline was still wearing off as he processed the incident. “The adrenaline is wearing off a bit, so it’s going to be a long trip home, but I’m absolutely fine.”
He apologised to the team for the damage. “The car is a bit worse for wear, but we now have a month to reset, but I can only apologize to the team because it’s a lot of work.”
Bearman explained the cause of the crash — a massive speed delta created by the 2026 power unit regulations.
“There was a massive overspeed – around 50kph – which is a part of these new regulations, and we have to get used to it, but also I felt like I wasn’t given much space, given the huge excess speed I was carrying.”
He stressed the need for adaptation and awareness. “We need to be a bit more lenient and a bit more prepared, as unfortunately this was the result of a massive delta speed which we’ve not seen in Formula 1 before.”
Looking ahead, he remains determined. “We have a month to reset and come back strong in Miami – that’s the goal now.”
Komatsu: “It was a big shunt… the closing speed was huge.”
Team Principal Ayao Komatsu echoed the relief felt throughout the garage.
“First and foremost, it’s good that Ollie is okay. It was a big shunt and Ollie is really gutted about it.”
He underlined the severity of the incident. “The closing speed was huge, it was close to 50kph, and it was a pretty scary moment, but I’m glad that he came out okay.”
Turning to the race itself, Komatsu praised the team’s execution.
“Race-wise, we had a good start. Our pace wasn’t as strong, but I think in the opening laps we made some good places and Esteban raced very strongly.”
But again, timing worked against them. “It’s a shame that the Safety Car happened at the wrong time for Esteban as we lost two positions, but he was able to gain one back, he just couldn’t overtake Lawson, which is a shame.”
Komatsu highlighted the team’s remarkable consistency under the new regulations.
“I think there’s a lot that we can take from this race. It’s good that in these brand new regulations, as the smallest team, we’ve scored a point in every single race, which is really positive.”
Haas now sits P4 in the championship with 18 points, an extraordinary achievement.
“We are still P4 in the championship, which is amazing, with 18 points. The competition is really tough from P4 to P7, there are only four points in it.”
The April break will be crucial.
“I think we need to maximise this time in April to look at all the things we’ve learned until now to try to refine our operations, refine the car, and understand how we can perform better every single time we go out.”
Komatsu closed with a rallying message.
“I’m really keen to hit the ground running in Miami. Well done to everyone so far, let’s use this time to refresh and refocus.”
