Lando Norris has openly called for a race suspension for Franco Colapinto, arguing that the Argentine’s mistake at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was severe enough to merit a ban. The incident occurred on lap 36 when the safety‑car period ended and the field rolled back onto the start‑finish straight. Colapinto, still on cold tyres and struggling with brake balance, mis‑judged his braking point into Turn 1.
Carrying excessive speed, he slid sideways and clipped the rear of his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly. The impact sent Gasly’s car into the outside of Norris’s McLaren, launching the British driver into the barriers and ending his race on the spot. Both Alpine cars suffered damage that forced their retirement, while Norris, who had been running eighth, was left with a shattered chassis and a costly DNF.
Gasly had been holding seventh place and was poised to match his second‑best finish of the season. Colapinto, who was sitting in tenth, also saw his race end abruptly. In the aftermath, Norris expressed his frustration in a post‑race interview, stating, “At the end of the day, I just got taken out.
There are some drivers who really shouldn’t be in Formula 1, to be honest.” He went on to suggest that the FIA should impose stricter penalties for drivers who cause accidents on restarts, adding, “If you cause a crash in a restart like this, you should have at least a one‑race ban.” Colapinto immediately acknowledged his error, first over the team radio and later in a series of interviews. He described the incident as a “big mistake” and offered a heartfelt apology to Gasly, the Alpine team, and the broader paddock. “A massive sorry to Pierre, to everyone in the factory that has been working really hard.
We were both in the points, so it’s very sad and disappointing,” he said. He explained that the combination of cold brakes, cold tyres and a locked‑up wheel left him completely out of control, resulting in the collision that also took Lando out of the race. The stewards handed Colapinto a ten‑second time penalty for causing the crash.
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 FIA’s penalty‑point system, a driver is banned for a race after accumulating twelve points on their super licence within a rolling twelve‑month period. Colapinto currently sits on four points and did not receive any additional points for the Azerbaijan incident, meaning the grid penalty is his only sanction for that weekend. Norris was blunt in describing Colapinto’s driving as “just careless” and unfit for the sport.
He highlighted the financial impact of the crash, noting that the damage to his McLaren’s components would be costly: “All my parts are in the bin now. It’s not the kind of driving you expect in Formula 1.” He added that experienced drivers should be able to anticipate low grip and cold tyre conditions, especially on a restart, and that when a driver fails to do so, it raises questions about their suitability for the premier class. The crash also had broader implications for the Alpine team’s championship battle.
Prior to the incident, Alpine were on course to close the nine‑point gap to Racing Bulls in the Constructors’ standings, with both cars in the points and poised to out‑score their rivals. Instead, the double retirement left Alpine fifteen points behind after Racing Bulls secured a late‑race surge, highlighted by Arvid Lindblad’s seventh‑place finish.
Pierre Gasly, still reeling from the incident, told Sky Sports F1 that the weekend had been “not easy.” He praised the performance of the Alpine car, noting that it had kept pace with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris for much of the race and had built a 14‑ to 15‑second gap to the midfield. Yet he admitted he was still processing the disappointment of losing both cars in the points and being out‑scored by Racing Bulls.
Gasly also addressed the wave of abusive messages he and his family received on social media after the crash, calling the online harassment “completely inappropriate.” Both he and Colapinto have condemned the behavior of a small faction of Argentine fans who targeted drivers with insults. Looking ahead, both Alpine drivers have confirmed their seats for the next season, and Gasly emphasized that respect is the foundation of their partnership. “Respect.
It’s all about respect. As long as there is respect, everything is possible,” he said when asked about continuing to work with Colapinto.
Colapinto echoed the sentiment, stating, “We are good. We have always gotten along well since we first worked together, so we need to move on.” The Formula 1 calendar now turns to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix, marking the sport’s first visit to the venue since 2017.
Fans can watch the live coverage on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW without a long‑term contract. The incident in Baku serves as a stark reminder of how quickly a promising race can turn into a cautionary tale about driver discipline, team strategy, and the high stakes of Formula 1 competition.