Franco Colapinto has been given a five-place grid penalty for the Malaysian Grand Prix after being deemed responsible for a multi-car collision during the Formula 1 race in Baku on Sunday. The incident involved his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren's Lando Norris, both of whom were forced to retire.
The race was neutralised by a safety car when Alexander Albon crashed out. However, at the restart, Colapinto suffered a massive lock-up on the inside of Turn 1. His car careened into the left side of Gasly, who then hit Norris. Both Gasly and Norris were unable to continue.
FIA stewards reviewed video, timing, and in-car footage before concluding that Colapinto was wholly or predominantly to blame. They emphasised that no other driver contributed to the incident, which justified the standard penalty despite it occurring at the first corner after a restart. The usual penalty for causing a collision is a 10-second time penalty. Since Colapinto retired from the race, the penalty was converted to a five-place grid drop for the next race in Sepang, in accordance with Article B1.9.6.(e) of the FIA 2026 F1 Regulations.
The decision drew a strong reaction from Norris, who had earlier called for a race ban for Colapinto. However, the stewards opted for a proportionate punishment based on the circumstances and regulations. Meanwhile, a separate incident involving Arvid Lindblad and his Racing Bulls teammate Liam Lawson escaped sanction as the stewards determined it was triggered by Colapinto's crash.
The incident is a blow for Alpine, who lost Gasly, while McLaren also suffered with Norris's retirement. The constructors' championship could be affected, especially if Norris loses valuable points. Colapinto, in his debut season, must learn from this mistake and drive more cautiously in Malaysia.
With this penalty, Colapinto will start from a lower grid position in Sepang. He faces an uphill battle to score points, with pressure mounting given Alpine's inconsistent form. The Malaysian race will be a test of mental strength and skill for the young Argentine driver.
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