Lando Norris has openly called for a race suspension for Franco Colapinto after the Argentine driver’s misjudged manoeuvre at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix eliminated both Alpine cars and Norris’s McLaren from the contest. The incident unfolded on lap 36 when the field was restarting behind the safety car. Colapinto, who was still on cold tyres and struggling with low grip, braked too late into Turn 1. Carrying excessive speed, he clipped the side of his teammate Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, sending Gasly’s car into the outside of Norris’s McLaren.
The impact spun Norris into the barriers, while both Alpine machines suffered sufficient damage to force their retirement. At the time of the crash, Gasly was running seventh, Norris eighth and Colapinto tenth, meaning all three drivers were comfortably in the points.
Norris, visibly frustrated, summed up his feelings in a brief interview: “In the end I was just taken out. There are some drivers who really shouldn’t be in Formula 1, to be honest.” He went on to tell the written press that, although he had not seen the incident on video, any driver who causes a restart‑time collision should face at least a one‑race ban.
“The FIA needs to be stricter and start handing out bans for this sort of thing,” he added. Colapinto immediately expressed remorse over the team radio and later in post‑race interviews, describing his error as a “big mistake.” He apologised not only to Gasly but to the entire Alpine operation, acknowledging that the team had been working hard and that both cars had been in the points before the crash.
“It was cold brakes, cold tyres, I locked up and lost control,” he said. “I am very sorry to Pierre and to Lando, and to everyone at the factory.” 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 current Formula 1 penalty system, drivers who accumulate twelve penalty points on their super licence within a rolling twelve‑month period receive an automatic race ban. Colapinto currently sits on four points and, aside from the grid penalty, received no additional points for the Azerbaijan incident.
Norris characterised Colapinto’s driving as “just careless” and unfit for the sport’s elite level. He highlighted the financial impact of the crash, noting that the damage to his car meant a costly rebuild: “All my parts are in the bin now. It costs a lot of money.” He argued that a driver competing in Formula 1 should be able to anticipate low grip and tyre temperature, especially after a safety‑car period.
“When something like this happens, it shows that the driver probably shouldn’t be there,” Norris said. The crash came at a difficult moment for Norris, who had already been battling straight‑line speed deficiencies with his McLaren.
He had dropped behind Gasly earlier in the race after running wide at the first corner. Gasly, meanwhile, had been on course to match his second‑best result of the season with a seventh‑place finish, having put in a strong performance on the Baku street circuit.
Alpine, before the incident, were poised to close the nine‑point gap to Racing Bull’s, who were sitting twelfth and fourteenth in the Constructors’ Championship. The double retirement left Alpine fifteen points behind Racing Bull after the race, as Arvid Lindblad’s late surge secured seventh for the rivals.
Gasly, speaking to Sky Sports F1, admitted he was almost at a loss for words after the crash. He praised the weekend’s performance, noting that the Alpine had been “one of the best race cars we’ve had this season,” matching the pace of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris for much of the event. However, he also expressed disappointment at losing out to Racing Bull by a substantial margin.
“It’s not an ideal day, but we will move on. We hope to make up the points by the end of the year,” he said. The fallout extended beyond the track. Gasly revealed that he and his family had been subjected to “completely inappropriate” abuse on social media following the incident, a problem that has been highlighted repeatedly by both Alpine drivers.
Argentine fans have been accused of targeting drivers online, and both Gasly and Colapinto have publicly condemned such behaviour. Looking ahead, both Alpine drivers are confirmed to stay with the team for the next season. When asked about his future partnership with Colapinto, Gasly emphasised the importance of mutual respect: “Respect is everything.
As long as there is respect, anything is possible.” Colapinto echoed this sentiment, stating that they have always gotten along well and will continue to work together. The Formula 1 calendar now turns to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for the first Bahrain‑Grand‑Prix‑style event since 2017. Fans can watch the race live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract. The incident in Azerbaijan serves as a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in motorsport and has reignited the debate over whether stricter penalties, including race bans, should be applied to drivers whose mistakes endanger others and disrupt the competition.