Lando Norris has openly called for Franco Colapinto to be suspended for a race after the Argentine driver’s mistake eliminated both himself and Pierre Gasly from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The incident unfolded on lap 36, when the safety‑car period ended and the field approached the first corner.
Colapinto, still on cold tyres and brakes, braked too late and clipped the side of Alpine teammate Gasly. The impact sent Gasly’s car into the outside of Norris’s McLaren, spinning the Briton into the barriers and ending the race for all three competitors. At the time of the collision, Gasly was running seventh, Norris eighth and Colapinto tenth, meaning the three drivers were all in the points.
Visibly upset, Norris told reporters, "At the end of the day, I just got taken out. Just some drivers that shouldn't be in Formula 1, to be honest." He added that the FIA should adopt a stricter stance on incidents that occur on restarts, suggesting a minimum one‑race ban for drivers who cause a crash in that situation. "I've not seen it, but if you cause a crash in a restart like this, you should have at least a one‑race ban," the world champion said.
Colapinto immediately expressed remorse, both over the team radio and in post‑race interviews. He described the episode as a "big mistake" and apologised to the Alpine team, to Pierre and to Lando. "A big, big sorry to Pierre, to everyone in the factory that has been working really hard. We were both in the points, so very sad and disappointed," he said.
He blamed the error on cold brakes, cold tyres and a lock‑up that left him completely out of control, acknowledging that his misjudgement also took out Norris. The stewards handed Colapinto a ten‑second time penalty for causing the collision. Because he had already retired, the penalty was converted into a five‑place grid drop for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Under the FIA’s super‑licence penalty‑point system, a driver receives a race ban after accumulating twelve points over a rolling twelve‑month period.
Colapinto currently sits on four points and did not receive additional points for the Azerbaijan incident, only the grid penalty. Norris labelled Colapinto’s driving as "just careless" and unfit for the sport, noting the financial impact of the crash.
"It costs a lot of money, all my parts are in the bin now," he said. He argued that Formula 1 drivers should be able to anticipate low grip and low tyre temperatures, especially on restarts, and that when a driver fails to do so it suggests they do not belong at the highest level of motorsport.
The crash also derailed Alpine’s strategy to close the gap to Racing Bulls in the Constructors’ Championship. Prior to the incident, Alpine were poised to reduce a nine‑point deficit, with both cars in the points and poised to finish strongly.
After the collision, they fell fifteen points behind Racing Bulls following a late surge by the Swedish team that saw Arvid Lindblad claim seventh place. Gasly, who had been on course for his second‑best result of the season, expressed his frustration in a post‑race interview with Sky Sports F1. He praised the weekend’s performance, noting that the Alpine car had been able to keep pace with the front‑runners, but admitted he was still processing the disappointment of losing both cars in the points. He also addressed the wave of online abuse he and his family received after the incident, calling it "completely inappropriate" and condemning the behavior of some Argentine fans.
Both drivers remain contracted with Alpine for the next season. When asked about their working relationship, Gasly emphasized respect as the foundation of any partnership, while Colapinto echoed that sentiment, saying they have always gotten along well and need to move forward together.
The Formula 1 calendar now turns to Malaysia, where the sport will return to the Sepang International Circuit for the first time since 2017. The Bahrain Grand Prix will be the opening race of the season, and fans can watch live coverage on Sky Sports F1 or stream via NOW. The incident in Baku has sparked a broader conversation about driver standards, the adequacy of current penalties, and whether the FIA should impose harsher sanctions on repeat offenders to preserve the safety and integrity of the sport.