F1: Chequered Flag Chequered Flag Extra: Verstappen’s Future, Bearman’s Crash & Jack Black
Apr 2, 2026
A lively rundown of the Japanese GP fallout, including debate over Verstappen’s future and the sport’s rule changes. A technical look at Bearman’s high-speed crash and how energy rules shape closing speeds. A spirited discussion on whether recent overtakes feel artificial. Plus memes, viral grid moments and a call for Jack Black at every race.
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Regulations Have Changed How Drivers Must Drive
- New regulations have changed driving behaviour and made qualifying and certain race segments feel alien to drivers.
- Izzy Hammond and Harry Benjamin compare lifting and coasting to drifting, explaining it forces drivers to act against ingrained racing instincts and hurts spectacle.
Izzy's Drifting Misadventures
- Izzy Hammond recounts breaking two cars while learning to drift, one being her own that broke down and another where she snapped a steering column.
- The story illustrates how unfamiliar and physically demanding drifting felt even after two days of practice.
Closing Speeds Explain Severe Suzuka Crashes
- Closing speeds between cars can be enormous under the new energy rules and lead to severe impacts, as in Ollie Bearman's 50g crash.
- Harry Benjamin gives the 308 km/h exit speed and ~31 mph differential as the mechanism causing the heavy collision.