Martin Brundle Urges FIA to Fix Flawed F1 Power Delivery After Bearman Crash

Former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle has called for urgent intervention from the FIA regarding the 2026 power delivery regulations, describing the current system as fundamentally flawed.

The concerns follow a series of incidents during the early stages of the 2026 season, most notably a high-speed crash involving Haas driver Oliver Bearman at the Japanese Grand Prix on April 6, 2026.

The Japanese Grand Prix Incident

During the race at the Suzuka circuit, Oliver Bearman experienced a heavy crash at the Spoon curve. The incident occurred when Bearman closed in rapidly on Alpine driver Franco Colapinto.

At the time of the encounter, Colapinto was harvesting energy, which resulted in a significant reduction in speed. Bearman took avoiding action and dipped onto the grass, leading to a loss of control and a high-speed impact with the barriers.

Bearman was able to walk away from the wreck and was subsequently cleared by on-site medical personnel.

Analyzing the event on the Sky Sports F1 Show, Brundle defended Colapinto, suggesting there was no malice in the situation. He speculated that Colapinto may have been focused on his steering wheel to understand why the car was not accelerating while Bearman approached at high speed on a long, flat-out curve.

Concerns Over Battery Deployment

While the crash at Suzuka generated significant debate, Brundle indicated that a separate incident involving Lando Norris was even more concerning. Norris reported that his MCL40 performed an unwanted overtake on Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari due to battery deployment that the driver could not control.

I didn’t even want to overtake Lewis, it’s just about the battery deploys, and I don’t want it to deploy, but I can’t control it. So I overtake him, and then I have no battery, so he just flies past.

Lando Norris

Brundle emphasized that it is fundamental for the driver’s throttle demands to match the actual battery deployment. He argued that modern power units should not include self-learning aspects that remove direct driver control over acceleration and deceleration.

Wider Impact and FIA Response

The issues surrounding battery harvesting and deployment have become a primary talking point three rounds into the 2026 era. In addition to Norris and Bearman, other drivers including Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz have expressed concerns.

The FIA has acknowledged the situation and issued a statement at Suzuka. The governing body has announced plans to evaluate the regulations throughout April.

Brundle has urged the FIA to implement necessary changes before the season resumes in Miami to ensure driver safety and competitive integrity.