Lando Norris has openly called for a race suspension for Franco Colapinto 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 on cold tyres and brakes, miscalculated his entry into Turn 1, carrying excessive speed and sliding into the side of his Alpine teammate, Pierre Gasly.
The impact forced Gasly’s car into the outside of Norris’s McLaren, sending Norris spinning into the barriers and ending his race. Both Alpine cars sustained enough damage to retire as well. At the time of the collision, Gasly was running in seventh place, Norris in eighth, and Colapinto occupying tenth. The three drivers were all scoring points, which made the loss even more painful for the teams.
After the race, a visibly frustrated Norris addressed the media, stating, “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 add that, although he had not seen the incident live, any driver who causes a crash on a restart 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 said. Colapinto, for his part, was quick to apologise both over the team radio and in post‑race interviews.
He described the episode as a “big mistake,” expressing remorse to the Alpine team, to Pierre, and to everyone involved in the operation. “We were both in the points, so it’s very sad and disappointing,” he said.
He explained that the error stemmed from cold brakes, cold tyres and a lock‑up that left him completely out of control, acknowledging that his mistake also took out Lando Norris. The stewards imposed a ten‑second time penalty on Colapinto for causing the collision.
Because he had already retired, the time penalty could not be served, so it was converted into a five‑place grid drop for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Under the sport’s penalty‑point system, drivers accrue points for on‑track indiscretions; reaching twelve points within a rolling twelve‑month window triggers 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 not befitting the standards of Formula 1. He lamented the financial cost of the crash, noting that many of his car’s components were now destroyed. “It’s not the kind of driving you expect in Formula 1,” he said.
“Drivers should be able to anticipate low grip and cold tyre conditions. When you see incidents like this, it makes you wonder whether some drivers belong at this level.” The crash came at a particularly difficult moment for Norris, who had already been battling straight‑line speed deficits throughout the race. He had dropped behind Gasly earlier after running wide into the first corner. Gasly, meanwhile, had been on course to match his second‑best result of the season by finishing seventh, having enjoyed a strong weekend on the Baku street circuit.
Alpine had been poised to close the nine‑point gap to the Racing Bulls in the Constructors’ Championship, as both of their cars were in the points when the safety‑car period ended. Instead, the incident left them fifteen points adrift after the Bahrain round, where Arvid Lindblad later claimed seventh place.
Gasly, speaking to Sky Sports F1, admitted he was “almost at a loss for words” after the crash. He praised the team’s performance over the weekend, highlighting that the car had kept pace with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris for much of the race, and that they had built a sizable gap to the midfield.
Nevertheless, he expressed disappointment at losing out to the Racing Bulls and vowed to bounce back before the season’s end. The aftermath also saw Gasly addressing the “completely inappropriate” online abuse he and his family received following the incident, noting that some Argentine fans had directed hostile messages at him after the previous race in Madrid. Both Alpine drivers have consistently condemned such behaviour and called for respect among fans. Looking ahead, both Colapinto and Gasly are confirmed to remain with Alpine for the next season.
When asked about the future of their partnership, Gasly emphasised the importance of mutual respect, saying, “As long as there is respect, anything is possible.” Colapinto echoed this sentiment, stating that they have always worked well together and need to move forward. 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 options available through NOW, offering a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime service.