Lando Norris has openly called for a race‑long suspension for Franco Colapinto following the incident that eliminated both him and Pierre Gasly from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The controversy erupted on lap 36, when the safety‑car period ended and Colapinto mis‑calculated his braking into Turn 1. Carrying excess speed, he clipped the side of Alpine teammate Gasly, sending Gasly’s car into the outside of Norris’s McLaren.
The chain reaction forced Norris into the barriers, while both Alpines suffered enough damage to retire from the race. At the moment of the collision, Gasly was running seventh, Norris eighth and Colapinto tenth.
Visibly irritated, Norris told reporters, “In the end I just got taken out. There are some drivers who really shouldn’t be in Formula 1, to be honest.” He added that the sport’s governing body should adopt a tougher stance on reckless restarts, suggesting that a driver who causes a crash in that situation deserves at least a one‑race ban.
“I haven’t seen it happen before, but if you cause a restart crash you should be penalised with a race ban,” the reigning world champion said. “The FIA needs to be stricter and start handing out bans for this kind of behaviour.” Colapinto, for his part, issued an apology both over the team radio and in post‑race interviews, describing the episode as a “big mistake”. He said, “I’m very sorry to Pierre, to the whole factory and to everyone who has worked hard. We were both in the points and it’s extremely disappointing.” He blamed cold brakes, cold tyres and a lock‑up for the loss of control that sent him careening into the Alpine cars.
Because he retired from the event, the ten‑second time penalty handed to him by the stewards could not be served on track, so it was converted into a five‑place grid drop for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Under the current FIA penalty‑point system, drivers receive a race ban once they accumulate twelve points on their super‑licence within a rolling twelve‑month window. Colapinto entered the Azerbaijan weekend with four points and did not receive any additional points for the incident, meaning his only sanction is the grid penalty for the next race. Norris characterised Colapinto’s driving as “just careless” and unfit for the elite level of Formula 1.
“All my parts are now in the bin,” he lamented, emphasizing the financial cost of the crash. “In Formula 1 you would expect drivers to anticipate low grip and cold tyre temperatures. When you see something like this, it tells you that some drivers simply shouldn’t be there.” The British driver also noted that his own weekend had been far from smooth, citing straight‑line speed deficiencies that forced him to lose positions early on.
Six laps before the safety‑car restart, Norris had already been forced wide into Turn 1, dropping behind Gasly. The Frenchman had been on course for a season‑best seventh place, capitalising on a strong performance on the Baku street circuit.
Alpine, meanwhile, were poised to close the nine‑point gap to Racing Bulls in the Constructors’ Championship, as both of their cars were running in the points when the safety‑car period began. The collision, however, erased that momentum, leaving Alpine fifteen points adrift after Racing Bulls surged late in the race, with Arvid Lindblad finishing seventh.
Gasly, visibly shaken, told Sky Sports F1, “It’s not easy. We had a great weekend, one of the best cars we’ve had this season, keeping up with Lewis and Lando for most of the race, and we had a comfortable gap to the midfield. Yet I’m still trying to process the outcome – we were both in the points and then got outscored by Racing Bulls. Not an ideal day, but we’ll move on and try to make up the loss by the end of the year.” He also addressed the wave of online abuse he and his family received after the incident, calling it “completely inappropriate.” Both Alpine drivers have condemned the harassment directed at Argentine fans and have urged respect for all competitors.
Looking ahead, both Colapinto and Gasly have confirmed their seats with Alpine for the next season. When asked about their partnership, Gasly responded, “Respect is everything. As long as there is respect, anything is possible.” Colapinto echoed the sentiment, stating, “We get on well. Since we first worked together we’ve had a good relationship, so we’ll move forward together.” Formula 1 will travel to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, with the Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled at the Sepang International Circuit.
Fans can watch live coverage on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW without a long‑term contract. The incident in Azerbaijan has sparked a broader debate about driver standards, safety‑car procedures and the adequacy of current penalties, with many expecting the FIA to review its regulations in light of Norris’s outspoken criticism.