Franco Colapinto has been handed a five-place grid penalty for the next Formula 1 race following his involvement in a three-car collision at the restart of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit. The incident also involved his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren's Lando Norris.
The clash occurred when George Russell led the field away after a Safety Car period. Colapinto, driving for the Enstone-based team, attempted an overly ambitious dive down the inside of Gasly. However, with cold tyres and a lack of realism, the Argentine made contact with the sister Alpine, which in turn collected Norris. All three drivers retired from the race as a result.
After the race, Colapinto offered a full and frank apology to both Gasly and Norris. Norris had called for a one-race ban for the incident. Nevertheless, Colapinto admitted to the media that he was expecting a penalty.
Following an investigation, the FIA stewards determined that Colapinto was wholly or predominantly to blame for the collision. In their document, they stated that although the incident occurred at the first corner following the restart, there was no contribution from another driver that would justify applying the more lenient first-lap/first-corner approach.
The standard penalty for causing a collision is a 10-second time penalty. However, as Colapinto had retired from the race and was unable to serve the time penalty, the stewards converted it to a drop of five grid positions at the next race in which he participates, in accordance with Article B1.9.6.(e) of the FIA 2026 F1 Regulations.
The incident had further ramifications for Alpine, as a potential double-points finish turned into none, while midfield rivals Racing Bulls and Haas picked up more points as a result. This has undoubtedly hurt Alpine's position in the constructors' championship.
Nevertheless, Colapinto has shown significant improvement throughout the season. His enhanced performances earned him a confirmed second season with the Enstone-based squad. The Baku incident is a black mark, but the team continues to show faith in his potential.
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