Lando Norris has openly called for a race suspension for Franco Colapinto after the Argentine driver’s mistake caused a multi‑car collision that eliminated both Alpine drivers and Norris himself from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The incident unfolded on lap 36, when the field was restarting behind the safety car. Colapinto entered the first corner too fast, misjudged his braking point and ploughed into the side of his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly.
The impact sent Gasly’s car into the outside of Norris’s McLaren, spinning the Briton into the barriers and ending his race. Both Alpines suffered enough damage to retire, while Norris, who had been running eighth, was forced to retire as well. At the time of the crash, Gasly occupied seventh place, Norris eighth and Colapinto tenth, meaning all three drivers were in the points before the accident.
Visibly frustrated, Norris told reporters, "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 FIA should impose stricter penalties for incidents of this nature, suggesting that a driver who causes a restart crash deserves at least a one‑race ban. "I haven't seen a rule like that, but if you cause a crash on a restart, you should be banned for a race," the world champion said. Colapinto, for his part, issued an apology over the team radio and later in a post‑race interview, describing the incident as a "big mistake".
He said, "A huge apology to Pierre, to the whole factory, and to everyone who worked hard. We were both in the points and now we’re very disappointed.
It was cold brakes, cold tyres, a lock‑up and I lost control completely. I also took Lando out, and I’m truly sorry to both of them." The young Argentine was handed a ten‑second time penalty by the stewards 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 super‑licence penalty‑point system, drivers receive a race ban once they accumulate twelve points over a rolling twelve‑month period.
Colapinto entered the Azerbaijan event with four points on his licence and did not receive any additional points for the incident, meaning the grid penalty was his only sanction. 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 costs a lot of money.
This is not the level of driving you expect in Formula 1." He went on to explain that drivers at this level should anticipate low grip and cold tyre conditions, especially after a safety‑car period, and that such errors suggest a driver "shouldn't be there". The crash also ruined Alpine’s chance to close the gap to their rivals, Racing Bulls, in the Constructors' Championship. Before the incident Alpine were poised to reduce a nine‑point deficit, but the retirement left them fifteen points behind after Racing Bulls secured a late‑race surge, with Arvid Lindblad finishing seventh. Pierre Gasly, who had been on course for his second‑best result of the season, expressed his disappointment in a post‑race interview with Sky Sports F1.
"It’s not easy. We had a very good weekend, one of the best cars we’ve had this season, and we were keeping up with Lewis and Lando for most of the race. We had a 14‑15 second gap to the midfield, so there are many positives, but I’m still struggling to process the outcome. We had both cars in the points and then we got outscored by Racing Bulls by a large margin.
Not an ideal day, but we will move on and try to make up the lost points by the end of the year," he said. Gasly also addressed the "completely inappropriate" social‑media abuse he and his family received after the incident, noting that some Argentine fans had directed hostile messages toward him.
Both Alpine drivers have condemned the online abuse and emphasized the need for respect among fans. Looking ahead, the Formula 1 calendar will head to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, with the Bahrain Grand Prix taking place at the Sepang International Circuit.
The race will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and viewers can stream the coverage via NOW without a long‑term contract. Both Colapinto and Gasly have confirmed their seats with Alpine for the next season, and Gasly reiterated that mutual respect is the foundation of their partnership, saying, "As long as there is respect, everything is possible." Colapinto echoed this sentiment, adding that they have always worked well together and will continue to move forward as a team.