Lando Norris slammed Franco Colapinto and called for a strict race ban following a chaotic three-car collision at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The incident unfolded during a safety car restart on lap 36, ending the races prematurely for Norris, Pierre Gasly, and Colapinto.
Colapinto misjudged his braking zone into the opening corner, carrying excessive speed that sent him directly into his Alpine team-mate Gasly. The impact ricocheted Gasly's car into Norris's McLaren on the outside, spinning the reigning world champion into the track barriers.
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SubscribeA frustrated Norris did not hold back in his post-race remarks, criticizing the careless driving standards. "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 stated.
The McLaren driver argued that causing such severe incidents during race restarts should automatically warrant a suspension. He emphasized that the FIA needs to implement harsher penalties to deter reckless maneuvers on track.
Colapinto Apologizes As Stewards Issue Grid Penalty
Franco Colapinto immediately took responsibility for the incident on team radio and in subsequent media sessions, admitting he made a massive error of judgment. The young driver explained that cold tires and locked brakes left him completely out of control.
"Just a big, big sorry to Pierre, to everyone in the factory that has been working really hard," Colapinto expressed remorse. Both drivers confirmed their professional working relationship remains intact despite the costly accident.
Race stewards handed Colapinto a ten-second time penalty, which was converted into a five-place grid drop for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix since he had already retired. The sanction avoided adding superlicence penalty points to his current total of four.
The collision proved costly for Alpine in the constructors" championship battle, wiping out a double-points finish and allowing rival teams to pull ahead. Formula 1 teams now shift their focus toward the next round at the Sepang International Circuit.