Franco Colapinto has finally spoken out after the controversial incident involving him at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. The Alpine driver was involved in a multi-car collision that eliminated his teammate, Pierre Gasly, and McLaren's Lando Norris from the race. The incident sparked Norris' fury, leading him to publicly call for Colapinto to be banned.
The incident occurred on the first safety car restart on lap 51. Colapinto, running inside the top 10 alongside Gasly, suffered a massive lock-up at Turn 1 due to cold brakes and tyres. His car slid uncontrollably, hitting the side of Gasly's car and then sweeping Norris, who was on the outside of the corner. As a result, all three drivers failed to finish and lost valuable points.
After the race, Norris vented his frustration to the media, labelling Colapinto as a driver "that shouldn't be in Formula 1". He even called for the Argentine to receive a race ban. Norris' comments quickly became the talk of the paddock and ignited debate among fans.
In response, Colapinto offered his sincere apologies. "I'm sorry to the team, to Pierre. It was a big, big mistake," he told Sky F1. "So, really sorry to Pierre and everyone in the factory that has been working really hard. We lost a lotg well, we were with both cars in the points. So, very sad and disappointed. It was a big mistake, cold brakes, cold tyres and I was completely out of control. Unfortunately, I took Pierre out, and Lando of course. But sorry to both."
When Norris' comments were put to him, Colapinto added: "Well, sorry to Lando as well, to be honest, not only Pierre. Sorry to everyone, it's a big mistake, of course. I just locked up and then I was very out of control. I couldn't do a lot. As soon as I touched the brake, I locked up and lost a lot."
Meanwhile, Gasly admitted he was still struggling to process the outcome. "I mean, I'm trying to find my words," he said. "It's not easy. We did a very good weekend and the car was one of the best race cars we've had this season. And the pace was great, keeping up with Lewis and Lando for most of the race. I mean, we had a 14 or 15-second gap to the midfield. So, I think there are a lot of positives to take away. But, I'm still struggling to process the outcome and the fact that we had both cars in the points, and in the end we got outscored by Racing Bulls by a lot of points. Not an ideal day, but I'm sure we're going to move on from it. Unfortunately, we've lost out today but hopefully we can make it up to the end of the year."
This incident is not the first between Gasly and Colapinto. Earlier, after the Spanish Grand Prix, Gasly was subjected to online abuse from Colapinto fans. Although the pair share a good personal and professional relationship, Gasly stressed that respect is paramount. "Respect. It's all about respect. As long as there is respect, everything is possible," he said briefly. He declined to comment on whether he felt disrespected by the incident.
With this result, Alpine must accept the bitter reality of losing big points in Baku. Meanwhile, Norris and McLaren also suffered in their title fight. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks of safety car restarts and the importance of self-control in challenging track conditions. Colapinto now finds himself under pressure to prove he belongs in Formula 1, while Gasly tries to move on and focus on the rest of the season.
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