Lando Norris, the reigning Formula 1 World Champion, publicly expressed regret to Franco Colapinto for the harsh words he used following the incident that eliminated both drivers from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The chain of events began when Colapinto, during a Safety Car restart in Baku, braked too hard into the first corner, locking his wheels and colliding with his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly.
Gasly was propelled into the side of Norris's McLaren, causing both cars to retire from the race. In the immediate aftermath, Norris did not hold back. He told the media that "there are some drivers who shouldn't be in Formula 1" and advocated for a one‑race suspension for anyone who caused a similar incident.
His comments quickly sparked a firestorm on social media, with many fans and commentators weighing in on both the on‑track mistake and the tone of his criticism. Colapinto, for his part, offered an apology to both Gasly and Norris during his post‑race interview. Despite his contrition, the Argentine driver was handed a five‑place grid penalty for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, a sanction that underscored the seriousness with which the stewards viewed his error. On Monday morning, Norris took to Instagram to further address the controversy.
He wrote: "Tough weekend overall in Baku and of course a disappointing and early end to the race. After the race, I sent Franco a message apologising for the comments I made that I simply should not have said. I know better and emotions were running high but that is not an excuse, it was wrong of me. I've made mistakes of my own over the years and I know this is very much a part of racing and fighting on the limit.
Me and Franco came to a good understanding, are still good friends and are both excited to get back racing this weekend." The apology was met with a mixture of approval and lingering criticism. While many praised Norris for owning his mistake, others argued that his initial remarks had already caused unnecessary damage to Colapinto's reputation, especially given the young driver's relative inexperience in the sport.
Alpine, the team that fields both Gasly and Colapinto, responded swiftly to the online backlash. In a statement released on Sunday, the team condemned the torrent of abuse directed at the drivers and at members of the broader Formula 1 community. Alpine emphasized that the hateful comments were not aimed at any single fan base but represented a universal problem that needed to be addressed. "As a team, we feel it's necessary to speak out once more about the hate and abuse online following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix," the statement read.
"Mistakes happen when racing at the limit and no matter the result or outcome, nobody should be subject to hateful or abusive comments. Condemning abuse on social media is not aimed at any one fan base or the supporters of one team or driver; this is universal and should be called out and recognised by all fans of the sport." This was not Alpine's first encounter with online vitriol this season. Earlier, during the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Colapinto received a drive‑through penalty for overtaking under a double‑yellow flag, prompting a wave of hostile messages toward the driver, the FIA stewards, and Alpine personnel. Similarly, after the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, Gasly faced abuse when he briefly refused to let Colapinto pass, with some of the threats even targeting his family.
Colapinto himself commented on the situation, noting that "it's never nice to get social media abuse" and stressing that the negativity was not solely the work of his own supporters. Alpine's latest statement tried to distance the team from any implication that they were singling out a particular group of fans, stating that their condemnation was aimed at the broader culture of harassment that has become increasingly common in recent races. The incident and the ensuing debate have reignited discussions about driver conduct, fan behavior, and the responsibilities of teams and governing bodies in curbing online toxicity.
While the sport continues to attract a passionate global audience, the need for respectful discourse remains a pressing concern. Looking ahead, Formula 1 will travel to Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit, marking the first time the event has been held there since 2017. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available through NOW, offering a flexible subscription model. Both Norris and Colapinto are expected to return to the grid, eager to put the controversy behind them and focus on the competition ahead.