Lando Norris has openly called for a race‑length suspension for Franco Colapinto following the incident that eliminated both Alpine drivers from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. During the first safety‑car restart on lap 36, Colapinto mis‑judged his braking point into turn 1, entered the corner at excessive speed and clipped the side of his teammate Pierre Gasly.
The impact forced Gasly’s car into the outside of Norris’s McLaren, sending the Briton spinning into the barriers. All three cars suffered terminal damage and were forced to retire. At the moment of the crash, Gasly was running seventh, Norris eighth and Colapinto tenth.
Visibly frustrated, Norris told reporters, “In the end I just got taken out. There are some drivers who really shouldn’t be in Formula 1, to be honest.” He added that, in his view, the FIA should impose stricter penalties for reckless restarts, suggesting a minimum one‑race ban for drivers who cause a multi‑car collision in such circumstances. Colapinto later admitted the mistake was his own.
On the team radio he apologized, and in post‑race interviews he described the incident as a “big mistake”, blaming cold brakes, cold tyres and a locked‑up wheel for the loss of control. “I’m extremely sorry to Pierre, to the whole Alpine factory and to Lando,” he said.
“We were both in the points and it’s a huge disappointment for everyone involved.” 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 penalty‑point system, a driver is banned for a race after accumulating twelve points on his super licence within a twelve‑month window. Colapinto currently sits on four points and did not receive additional points for the Azerbaijan incident, only the grid penalty. Norris characterised Colapinto’s driving as “just careless” and unfit for the sport, noting the financial impact of the crash: “All my parts are in the bin now. It’s not the sort of driving you expect in Formula 1.” He emphasized that experienced F1 drivers should be able to anticipate low grip and cold tyre conditions, especially on a street circuit where margins are razor‑thin.
The crash came at a particularly difficult moment for Norris, who had already been battling a lack of straight‑line speed. He had lost positions earlier in the race after running wide at the first turn, and the incident compounded an already “impossible” weekend for the McLaren driver.
For Alpine, the fallout was equally painful. Gasly had been on course for a strong points finish, potentially matching his second‑best result of the season. With both Alpine cars in the points before the safety‑car period, the team was poised to close the nine‑point gap to Racing Bull’s in the fight for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Instead, the double retirement left them fifteen points adrift after Racing Bull’s Arvid Lindblad surged to seventh place later in the race.
Gasly, speaking to Sky Sports F1, admitted he was “almost lost for words” after the incident. He praised the performance of the Alpine package – noting that the car had been keeping pace with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris for much of the weekend – but expressed disappointment at losing out to Racing Bull on the final tally.
He also highlighted the emotional toll of the episode, mentioning the “completely inappropriate” online abuse he and his family received after the previous race in Madrid, which Alpine and Colapinto have condemned. Both drivers remain contracted with Alpine for the next season. When asked about their future partnership, Gasly stressed the importance of mutual respect: “It’s all about respect. As long as there is respect, everything is possible.” Colapinto echoed the sentiment, stating, “We have a good relationship.
Since we first worked together we have gotten along well, so we’ll move forward together.” The incident has reignited debate over the adequacy of the FIA’s disciplinary framework. Critics argue that the current system, which relies on penalty points and discretionary bans, does not always provide a swift enough deterrent for dangerous driving, especially during high‑stakes restarts. Norris’s call for an automatic one‑race ban in cases of restart‑induced crashes reflects a growing sentiment among drivers that harsher, more predictable sanctions are needed to preserve safety and the integrity of the sport.
As the calendar shifts to the Sepang International Circuit for the Bahrain Grand Prix – the first Malaysian event since 2017 – teams will be looking to fine‑tune their setups for the hot, humid conditions that often expose tyre temperature issues. The incident in Baku serves as a stark reminder that even a momentary lapse in judgement can have far‑reaching consequences for drivers, teams, and the championship battle.
Fans can catch the live action on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW, offering a flexible, contract‑free option for viewers who want to follow the drama as it unfolds on the Malaysian track.