The 2026 Japanese Grand Prix has highlighted an increasingly serious technical issue: the extreme clipping of power units is causing sudden and dangerous decelerations. The incident involving Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman has become a symbol of a Formula 1 that risks compromising safety in the name of energy efficiency.
Extreme clipping: from energy management to safety risk
Modern Formula 1 is increasingly governed by energy management, but what was seen at Suzuka raises deep concerns. The phenomenon of “clipping,” or sudden loss of electric power, has reached extreme levels, with abrupt decelerations of 60-70 km/h on straights.
This is no longer the minor variation seen in previous years, where speed drops were around 5-10 km/h. Here, the car’s behavior changes radically: it’s as if a driver brakes suddenly with no warning for the cars following.
At speeds exceeding 250 km/h, such a sudden change is equivalent to creating an immediate danger, particularly on the faster sections of the circuit.
The Colapinto-Bearman case: an incident with no individual blame
The episode between Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman perfectly illustrates the risks of the current system. At first glance, the maneuver might have appeared to be a mistake by the Argentine driver, but onboard footage tells a different story.
Franco Colapinto, in fact, lost speed so suddenly that it was virtually “invisible” in the dynamics of the action. Ollie Bearman, approaching at much higher speed, had no time to react, forcing him to widen his line and risk a more serious impact.
The stewards’ decision not to penalize either driver sends a clear message: the responsibility is not individual, but structural.
Distracted drivers and unpredictable cars
Another critical aspect concerns the drivers themselves. The complexity of energy management increasingly forces them to focus on the steering wheel, charging systems, and power maps, rather than on pure driving.
This shifts attention away from track control toward parameter management, increasing the risk of mistakes and reducing the ability to react in unexpected situations.
At the same time, the cars themselves are becoming increasingly difficult to read for those following on track: without clear signals, a car can suddenly slow dramatically at any moment.
Suzuka 2026: a wake-up call for the FIA
The Japanese weekend clearly exposed the limits of the current technical regulations. The extreme pursuit of energy efficiency is generating dangerous side effects that go beyond mere spectacle.
The lack of complete live footage and the way critical incidents are managed on TV further hides the true scale of the problem. However, onboard footage and subsequent analysis reveal a situation that cannot be ignored.
Final analysis
Formula 1 now stands at a technical and regulatory crossroads. Extreme clipping is no longer just a consequence of hybrid management but a real risk factor.
The Colapinto-Bearman incident demonstrates that these are not driver errors but a system generating unpredictable and potentially dangerous situations. Without rapid technical modifications, the risk is that more serious accidents could occur in the future.
Safety, once again, must return to the center of technical development in the sport.
In summary, the “clipping” issues at Suzuka have proven that the 2026 cars are currently too unpredictable for safe wheel-to-wheel racing in high-speed sections. Based on the stewards’ “no further action” ruling, the pressure is now on the FIA to implement software tweaks before the grid arrives in Miami.
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