Lando Norris has openly called for a race‑length suspension for Franco Colapinto following the incident that eliminated both Alpine drivers and his own McLaren from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The controversy began on lap 36, when the safety‑car period ended and the field rolled back onto the start‑finish straight. Colapinto, who was running tenth, misjudged his braking point into Turn 1, carrying excessive speed and locking his cold tyres.
As a result, his car slid sideways and collided with his teammate Pierre Gasly, who was in seventh place at the time. The impact forced Gasly’s Alpine into the path of Norris’s McLaren, sending Norris into the barriers and ending his race prematurely. All three drivers were forced to retire due to the damage sustained. In the post‑race interview, a visibly frustrated Norris said, “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 governing body should be tougher on reckless behaviour, stating, “I’ve not seen it, but if you cause a crash on a restart like this, you should have at least a one‑race ban. The FIA needs to start handing out bans for this kind of stuff.” Colapinto, for his part, issued an apology both over the team radio and later in the media centre.
He described the incident as a "big mistake," acknowledging that cold brakes, cold tyres and a locked‑up wheel left him completely out of control. "A huge 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 also expressed remorse for taking out Norris, adding, "Unfortunately I also took Pierre out and Lando, of course, but big sorry to both of them." The stewards handed Colapinto a ten‑second time penalty for causing the collision. Because he had already retired, the penalty could not be served on track and was therefore converted into a five‑place grid drop for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Under the current FIA penalty‑point system, a driver receives a race ban after accumulating twelve points on his super licence within a rolling twelve‑month period.
Colapinto entered the Azerbaijan weekend with four points and did not receive any additional points for the incident, meaning the grid penalty was the only sanction applied. Norris characterised Colapinto’s driving as "just careless" and unfit for the top tier of motorsport. "It costs a lot of money; all my parts are in the bin now," he said, highlighting the financial impact of a crash caused by a driver he believes lacks the necessary skill and judgment.
"In Formula 1 you would expect drivers to anticipate low grip and cold tyre conditions. When something like this happens, it suggests the driver shouldn’t be there." The incident also compounded Norris’s own struggles during the race. He had been battling straight‑line speed deficits and had already dropped behind Gasly after running wide at the first corner six laps earlier. Gasly, who had been on course for a strong seventh‑place finish—the second‑best result of his season—was left equally disappointed.
He later told Sky Sports F1, "It’s not easy. We had a very good weekend and one of the best race cars we’ve had this season, keeping up with Lewis and Lando for most of the race.
But the outcome is hard to process, especially losing out to Racing Bulls by a large margin." The fallout extended beyond the track. Gasly revealed that he and his family had been subjected to "completely inappropriate" abuse on social media after the crash, a problem that has been linked to some Argentine fans targeting Alpine drivers online. Both Alpine and Colapinto have condemned the harassment, emphasizing that such behaviour is unacceptable. Looking ahead, Alpine confirmed that both Colapinto and Gasly will remain with the team for the next season.
When asked about the future of their partnership, Gasly stressed the importance of mutual respect: "Respect. It’s all about respect.
As long as there is respect, everything is possible." Colapinto echoed this sentiment, saying, "We are good. We have always gotten on well together, so we need to move on." The next race on the calendar will see Formula 1 return to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for the first time since 2017, hosting the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Fans can watch the live coverage on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available through NOW without a long‑term contract. The incident in Baku has sparked a broader debate about driver standards, the adequacy of current penalties, and whether the sport should enforce stricter entry criteria to ensure that only the most competent drivers compete at the highest level.