Oliver Bearman becomes first victim of “superclipping” in violent Suzuka crash. Oliver Bearman becomes the first victim of the so-called ‘superclipping’ phenomenon at the Japanese GP.

The speed differential between two cars caused the first potentially serious incident of the weekend.

This F1 is dangerous

It was far from reassuring to see how much Oliver Bearman was in pain after exiting the cockpit of his Haas following the crash that triggered the Safety Car, just as drivers were beginning their only pit stops of the race.

What is particularly frustrating is the sequence of events that caused Ollie Bearman to lose control of his car. The British driver suddenly found himself behind Franco Colapinto’s Alpine, which had slowed considerably while approaching the Spoon Curve. Ollie Bearman had no choice but to attempt an overtake. Franco Colapinto defended his position, and Oliver Bearman had nowhere to go except into the grass and then straight into the barriers.

No blame for Colapinto

It would be unfair to blame Franco Colapinto for the incident, as the Race Direction did not penalize the Alpine driver. Neither driver expected the situation, and the current regulations can create these moments when one car approaches another with a significantly different speed, especially in a fast corner like this one.

Oliver Bearman escapes with only a bruise

Fortunately, Oliver Bearman appears to have only suffered a minor bruise. The immediate footage from the crash was worrying, but the outcome could have been much worse.

Oliver Bearman’s crash at the Japanese Grand Prix is a stark warning that the 2026 technical regulations still require significant safety refinements. Based on the content of the post-race medical reports, the Haas driver will be fit for the next round, but the “superclipping” issue remains a ticking time bomb for the rest of the grid.