Lando Norris has openly called for Franco Colapinto to be suspended from a race following the incident that eliminated both him and Pierre Gasly from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The controversy unfolded on lap 36 when the safety‑car period ended and the field surged back onto the track.
Colapinto, still struggling with cold brakes and tyres, mis‑judged his braking point into Turn 1 and carried excessive speed into the side of Alpine teammate Gasly. The impact sent Gasly’s car into the outer wall of Norris’s McLaren, causing Norris to spin into the barriers and retire, while both Alpine cars sustained damage that forced their withdrawal as well. At the time of the collision, Gasly was running seventh, Norris eighth and Colapinto tenth, all within the points‑scoring positions. Norris, visibly frustrated, said after the race: “In the end I just got taken out.
There are some drivers who really shouldn’t be in Formula 1, to be honest.” He later reiterated his stance to the written press, adding, “I haven’t seen a crash like that on a restart before, and anyone who causes one should at least face a one‑race ban. The FIA needs to be stricter and start handing out penalties for this sort of reckless behaviour.” Colapinto, for his part, issued an apologetic statement over the team radio and in subsequent interviews, describing the incident as a “big mistake.” He addressed the Alpine crew and Gasly directly, saying, “I’m extremely sorry to Pierre and to everyone in the factory who have worked so hard. We were both in the points and now we’re very disappointed.” He explained that the error stemmed from cold brakes, cold tyres and a locked‑up wheel, which left him “completely out of control.” He also expressed remorse to Norris, acknowledging that his mis‑calculation had taken both Alpine drivers out of the race. The stewards handed Colapinto a ten‑second time penalty for causing the collision.
Because he had already retired, the penalty 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 Formula 1 disciplinary system, drivers accumulate penalty points on their super licences; reaching twelve points within a rolling twelve‑month period triggers an automatic race ban. Colapinto entered the Azerbaijan event with four points and did not receive additional points for the incident, only the grid penalty.
Norris described Colapinto’s driving as “just careless” and not befitting the standards of Formula 1. He lamented the financial impact of the crash, noting that “all my parts are in the bin now,” and argued that top‑level drivers should be able to anticipate low grip and cold tyre conditions.
“When something like this happens, it shows that some drivers simply shouldn’t be there,” he said. The incident came at a time when Norris had already been grappling with an “impossible race” due to straight‑line speed deficiencies in his McLaren. He had fallen behind Gasly earlier in the stint after running wide at the first corner.
Gasly, meanwhile, had been on course to match his second‑best finish of the season, holding seventh place after a strong performance on the Baku street circuit. Alpine had been poised to close the nine‑point gap to Racing Bulls in the Constructors’ Championship, as both of their cars were in the points when the safety‑car restart occurred. However, the crash erased that momentum, leaving Alpine fifteen points behind Racing Bulls after Arvid Lindblad secured seventh place for the rivals later in the race. After the race, a stunned Gasly told Sky Sports F1, “It’s not easy.
We had a great weekend, one of the best cars we’ve run this season, and we were keeping up with Lewis Hamilton and Lando for most of the race. We had a 14‑15 second gap to the midfield.
There are many positives, but I’m still trying to process the outcome. Both cars were in the points and we still got outscored by Racing Bulls by a large margin. Not an ideal day, but we’ll move on and try to make up the lost points by the end of the year.” Gasly also addressed the wave of online abuse he and his family received after the crash, describing it as “completely inappropriate.” He and Alpine have repeatedly condemned the harassment directed at drivers by some Argentine fans on social media. Both Gasly and Colapinto have confirmed their seats with Alpine for the next season.
When asked about continuing to work together, Gasly emphasized respect as the foundation of their partnership: “It’s all about respect. As long as there is respect, anything is possible.” Colapinto echoed this sentiment, saying, “We get along well.
Since we first worked together we’ve had a good relationship, so we’ll move forward together.” Formula 1 now turns its attention to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, marking the first race there since 2017. The Bahrain Grand Prix will be the season’s next event, and fans can watch live coverage on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available through NOW without a long‑term contract.